England beat India, level series 1-1

By IANS,

Mumbai : England bounced back from their first Test loss at Ahmedabad against India to win the second match on the fourth day by 10 wickets to level the series 1-1 at the Wankhede Stadium here Monday.


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Resuming the day at 117/7, India could only hold out for 11.1 overs and manage 25 more runs before being bowled out for 142, giving England a target of mere 57 runs.

Gautam Gambhir, who held the innings together Sunday, tried holding it out but ran out of partners.

Harbhajan Singh (6) departed in the second over of the day while Zaheer Khan was caught behind on the bowling of Monty Panesar, who scalped his sixth wicket in the innings to end with his best career match figures of 11/210.

Right-arm off spinner Graeme Swann ended the Indian innings when he caught Gambhir plumb in front of the stumps for 65, clinching his fourth wicket of the innings and eighth of the match.

England completed the formalities at run-a-ball as they chased down the target with ease.

Playing only his second Test, Nick Compton (30 not out) charged the Indian spinners hitting four boundaries and one six while skipper Alistair Cook remained unbeaten at 18 as the visitors accomplished their mission 45 minutes before lunch.

England’s Kevin Pietersen was declared the man-of-the-match for his splendid 186 in the first innings which gave the visitors the all important lead of 86 runs.

The third Test begins at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata Dec 5.

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