Ashwin Avoids Innings Defeat for India

Kolkata: Ravichandran Ashwin scored a gutsy half-century to help India surpass England's 207-run lead and ensure the visitors bat again on Day 4 of the third Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.

Ashwin and Ishant Sharma batted out of their skin as they added 38-run stand for the ninth wicket to help India avoid innings defeat in the match.

Monty Panesar ended the partnership by removing Ishant, who faced 53 deliveries for his 10 runs knock.

Steven Finn dismissed Virat Kohli and Zaheer Khan in his successive overs. Finn took his third wicket when he trapped Zaheer plumb in front of the wicket.

Finn had Virat Kohli caught behind by Matt Prior in the second over after tea.

Finn bowled a full and wide delivery outside off, a hint of away-swing, Kohli was tempted for the drive but got a faint nick for Prior to take the catch.

James Anderson dismissed Yuvraj Singh and Indian captain MS Dhoni in his successive overs on the fourth day of the third Test at the Eden Gardens. They were in deep trouble at 145/6, still trailing England by 62 at tea.

Anderson took his second wicket when he had Dhoni caught by England captain Alastair Cook at first slip.

India lost their fifth wicket when Anderson clean bowled Yuvraj Singh from round the wicket.

Sachin Tendulkar registered yet another failure as Graeme Swann had him caught by Jonathan Trott at first slip.

Steven Finn had Gautam Gambhir caught behind by Matt Prior in the alternate over after Ian Bell ran out Cheteshwar Pujara with a direct hit.

Ian Bell ran out Cheteshwar Pujara with a direct hit as India lost their second wicket in the second innings on the fourth day of the third Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.

Graeme Swann clean bowled Virender Sehwag on the first ball after lunch.

Swann drew Sehwag out with a flighted delivery and that was enough to create a gap between bat and pad of Sehwag who made a sort of lazy prod forward but missed the ball that went on to hit the top of off-stump.

Sehwag hit 7 fours in his 57-ball 49.

Earlier, openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag brought down England's first innings lead to 121 runs at lunch on the fourth day of the third Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.

India won the first session on Day 4. They bowled out England cheaply within five overs at the start of day.

The Indian openers were a bit hesitant in the middle and Sehwag was dropped once on seven. But then Sehwag and Gambhir began their assault on the English spinners towards the end of the first session.

Earlier, India bowled out England for 523 runs to restrict their first innings lead to 207 runs.

India did really well to give away just 14 runs and clean up the English line-up with 4 wickets.

R Ashwin had James Anderson caught by Virender Sehwag at first slip to reduce England to 523/9 and on the next ball trapped Monty Panesar plumb in front of the wicket to end England innings.

MS Dhoni took his 200th catch in Test cricket to dismiss Matt Prior off Zaheer Khan in the second over of the day.

Zaheer dismissed Prior on the second delivery of his first over of the day by bowling a good length delivery outside off, Prior aimed to cut that one away but nicked it behind where Dhoni dived to his right and takes a low catch.

This is also Zaheer's 100th wicket under the captaincy of Dhoni.

Pragyan Ojha had Graeme Swann caught by Virender Sehwag at first slip on the second ball of the day.

Brief scores
India 316 (Tendulkar 76, Gambhir 60, Dhoni 52, Panesar 4-90) and 239 for 9 (Ashwin 83*, Finn 3-37)
England 523 (Cook 196, Trott 87, Compton 57, Pietersen 54, Ojha 4-142)
Status India lead by by 32 runs