Broad Hat-Trick, Dravid Century On Enthralling Second Day

Broad Hat-Trick, Dravid Century On Enthralling Second Day

Stuart Broad appeals for the wicket of Harbhajan Singh - the second in his hat-trick at Trent Bridge

©Action Images / Ed Sykes Livepic

England 221 (Broad 64, Kumar 3-45, Sharma 3-66) & 24-1 v
India 288 (Dravid 117, Yuvraj Singh 62, Broad 6-46)
Second Test, Trent Bridge, day two
Scorecard | Day One

Stuart Broad took a hat-trick during a spell of five wickets for no runs, Rahul Dravid scored a wonderful century before England closed a remarkable second day of the second Test against India at Trent Bridge 43 runs behind.

When Dravid (117) and Yuvraj Singh (62) were batting together, a substantial lead looked likely for the tourists before Broad's magical spell of bowling turned proceedings on its head and got England back on track.

India lost six wickets for 21 to slip from 267 for four to be bowled out for 288 in reply to England's 221 as Broad completed career-best figures.

The day also saw England lose Jonathan Trott to a shoulder injury, and he was unable to bat in his usual number three position and Graeme Swann struggled, perhaps unsettled after being struck on the hand when batting on the opening day. His frustrations boiled over and at one point he accidentally dislodged the stumps as he kicked out, the ICC reprimanding him later on for so doing.

A blow that struck Dravid on the arm did not unduly inconvenience him, and he and VVS Laxman made good progress in the morning as England failed to hit the right line or length, Laxman making 54.

He fell when he edged Tim Bresnan to Matthew Prior but with Sachin Tendulkar (16) playing some graceful shots, India were handily placed  at 117 for two at lunch.

Broad struck first to remove Tendulkar, caught by Andrew Strauss at slip as England bowled much better after lunch although the only other wicket they could pick up was that of Suresh Raina, who after being worked over with the short ball by England's quicks, limply steered a seemingly harmless James Anderson delivery to Eoin Morgan in the gully.

He made 12 but fellow left-hander Yuvraj survived a similar examination and grew in confidence, eventually putting on 128 runs with Dravid for the fifth wicket although he was given a huge reprieve when he was dropped by Kevin Pietersen at gully - a chance that should have been taken.

By this time, Trott had left the field after he dived to field a ball at mid-off and landed awkwardly on his shoulder, throwing the ball over his shoulder while prone on the ground and in some pain. 

Dravid played beautfiully all day, caressing the ball through his favourite areas of third man, cover and midwicket as England's attempts to tie him down proved futile and he registered his second century of the series.

The pain for India came after tea when the new ball was taken and an inspired Broad picked up his maiden Test hat-trick by removing Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5), and Harbhajan Singh (0) and Praveen Kumar (0) in consecutive deliveries.

Dhoni was caught by Anderson, Harbhajan was trapped in front - although he did hit the ball, but under the minimum DRS rules in place, was unable to call for a review - and Kumar was clean bowled as Broad became the 12th Englishman to take a hat-trick, the first since Ryan Sidebottom and performed the feat for the 39th time overall.

He followed that up by ending Dravid's vigil - as India lost four wickets with the score on 273 - when he was caught by Alastair Cook and finally by having Ishant Sharma caught by Ian Bell for three.

Broad finished with six for 46 while there were two wickets apiece for Anderson and Bresnan. An off-colour Swann leaked 76 runs in 12 overs and prior to leaving the field, Trott was preferred to Anderson with the ball when Tendulkar came to the crease.

Sreesanth was unbeaten on seven when the innings ended and the wickets continued to tumble when Cook was caught via a leading edge by Yuvraj off Sharma as England closed on 24 for one with Strauss on six and Bell on nine.

© Cricket World 2011