London, Aug 2: On a day where 15 wickets fell, India managed to keep themselves just ahead of England by taking a 52-run lead at stumps on Day Two of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval on Friday.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s undefeated 51 ensured India reached 75/2 in 18 overs, before bad light forced stumps to be called 15 minutes earlier than expected on a day of see-saw cricketing action. In the morning, England ended India’s first innings at 224, before being bowled out for 247 for a minuscule 23-run lead.

When England put on an entertaining 92-run opening stand off only 12.4 overs and reached 109/1 at lunch, it felt that they would pile on a huge lead. But from the post-lunch session onwards, Mohammed Siraj got crucial scalps through his nip-backers and yorkers to pick 4-86 and became the current leading wicket-taker of the ongoing series.

Prasidh Krishna troubled batters with up-and-down bounce as well as sideways movement to take 4-62. For England, Zak Crawley and Harry Brook went on to make half-centuries. While Crawley top-scored with 64, Brook’s 53 helped England take a slender lead. Though England took out KL Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan, they would be ruing their three dropped catches, including that of Jaiswal, who raised his 13th Test fifty.

In the morning, the session began with Karun Nair and Washington Sundar taking a boundary each off Tongue. But Tongue bounced back to deliver the first breakthrough for England when he got a ball to jag back in and beat Nair’s inside edge to trap the batter plumb lbw for 57, with the right-handed batter also burning a review.

In the next over, Washington was dismissed for 26 after he pulled a short delivery from Atkinson to deep square leg. Atkinson got his fourth wicket when his fuller delivery crashed into Mohammed Siraj's off stump to castle him through the gate.

Two balls later, Atkinson completed a richly-deserving five-for by forcing Prasidh Krishna to nick an outswinger behind to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith. Atkinson’s haul of 5-33 was all the more significant after Chris Woakes’s left shoulder injury, sustained while fielding on day one’s play, meant he won’t be taking any further part in the match.

It was unsurprising to see Duckett and Crawley be quick off the blocks in England’s first innings, as they were severe on wide deliveries, irrespective of whether them being full or short. Crawley was magnificent in slashing, punching, and flicking Siraj for three fours, before Duckett ramped Akash Deep for six, just after surviving an lbw review.

With Siraj, Akash, and Krishna unable to nail their lines and lengths, Crawley and Duckett merrily hit them for boundaries. The possibility of England ending their session wicketless came to a halt in the 13th over when Duckett once again tried to reverse scoop off Akash, but this time, he gloved it behind to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.

Crawley brought up his third fifty-plus score of the series off 42 balls by dabbing Akash past gully for four, before Pope middled two drives off Prasidh for boundaries to end a super dominating morning session in England’s favour.

But the post-lunch session saw India put up a much-improved show with the ball – bowling tighter lines, good lengths, hitting the stumps much more to keep the pressure on the batters to get the session in their favour.

Crawley had issues in timing the ball well after lunch, and in an attempt to pull off Prasidh, the right-handed batter top-edged to mid-wicket and fell for 64. Four overs later, Siraj got a length ball to come back in sharply and beat Ollie Pope's inside edge to trap him lbw for 22. India challenged the on-field call and got it in their favour as replays showed the ball hitting the middle and leg stumps.

Brook and Joe Root tried stabilising England’s innings by hitting five boundaries in their brief 33-run stand, before Siraj trapped the latter plumb lbw with a nip-backer coming in sharply again, as England also burnt a review. Siraj got more reward for his relentless toil when his inswinging yorker trapped Jacob Bethell lbw for just six.

Prasidh then took over and dismissed Jamie Smith, who tried to punch off the back foot, but edged to KL Rahul, taking a sharp catch at second slip. At the stroke of tea, Prasidh trapped Jamie Overton plumb lbw for duck, as the session came to an end in India’s favour.

Atkinson began the final session by creaming Siraj and Prasidh each for a boundary. But on the fifth ball of the 47th over, Atkinson couldn’t middle his pull shot and mid-on took a simple catch to give Prasidh his fourth wicket.

Brook then swept Siraj for six in a style reminiscent of Rishabh Pant, before rain caused the proceedings to stop for 40 minutes. When play resumed, Brook brought up his 13th Test fifty off 57 balls.

But Siraj managed to finish with four wickets as Brook tried to clip one away but was only left to see his stumps being rattled. With no Chris Woakes available for batting, it brought an end to England's innings at 247, their lowest total of this series.

India’s second innings began with Jaiswal driving crisply and using the cut shot well to take five boundaries – four of which came off Gus Atkinson. Jaiswal got a life on 20 when his edge off Atkinson was put down by Harry Brook at second slip, as the ball raced to the boundary rope.

Jaiswal then slashed Jamie Overton for six, before getting another boundary off Josh Tongue to keep India afloat. But from the other end, Rahul was beaten on the outside edge and eventually nicked to Joe Root, who took a sharp, low catch at first slip.

Jaiswal again had fortune on his side when, on 40, substitute fielder Liam Dawson dropped a sitter at long leg. More trouble followed England when Zak Crawley shelled Sudharsan’s catch on seven at third slip. Jaiswal brought up his fifty off 44 balls with an upper-cut six over the slip cordon off Atkinson.

But the pacer bounced back 20 minutes before the stumps break when his wobble ball struck Sudharsan on the pad and was trapped lbw for 11. The left-handed batter went for a review, but to no avail as replays showed the ball crashing into the stumps. Jaiswal and nightwatchman Akash Deep ensured India suffered no further damage to set the stage for another exciting day of Test cricket.

Brief scores: India 224 and 75/2 in 18 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 51 not out; Josh Tongue 1-25) lead England 247 in 51.2 overs (Zak Crawley 64, Harry Brook 53; Prasidh Krishna 4-62, Mohammed Siraj 4-86) by 52 runs.

(IANS)

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