Captain,Cook rediscover touch

Englands near flawless show in the first two Test matches had one minor blip.

Englands near flawless show in the first two Test matches had one minor blip. On their performance sheets before the third Test,the box at the top hadnt yet been ticked. Openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook had not been involved in a meaningful partnership,nor had they posted any significant individual score. At Edgbaston,two men who have played the biggest roles in bringing England on the threshold of the pinnacle of Test rankings,finally found their stride to join their teams charge to the No.1 spot.

Just like their slow start to the series,the Strauss-Cook partnership too picked up pace on Thursday after an extended period of lull. A half-an-hour rain delay and the subsequent cloud cover meant the England openers had to deal with tough conditions in their quest to find their touch.

By the time the crowd gave them a warm round of applause as they walked back unbeaten for lunch,they had trampled all over the Indian bowlers,and their respective zones. What they really deserved then,and what they didnt receive,was a standing ovation. But in the dressing room,the hosts knew the importance of taking the score from 84/0 to 157/0.

The Strauss-Cook partnership in the first session wasnt about runs,it was all about occupying the crease and not giving the bowlers the all-important breakthrough. It was a lesson in how to bat in trying conditions. Be watchful early on 22 runs in the first 11 overs,before shifting gears as the field spreads 51 runs in the second 11. The Indian batsmen may have worn defeated faces in the process,but they will go home wiser after having watched the Strauss-Cook show from close quarters.

English,patient

In England,where the balls exaggerated swing is due to a blanket of clouds,the batsmen are advised to leave their egos in the dressing rooms. And thats exactly what Strauss and Cook did. The pair showed that dot balls and a dormant scoreboard arent stigmas in their country,unlike in India. Even if the bowler makes you look overtly defensive because of facing perfectly pitched balls or even outright incompetent because of playing and missing,taking a fresh guard and facing the next ball is all that matters. Period.

Praveen,Indias most effective bowlers spell in the first session was 7-5-2-0 a clear indicator that the England openers were not taking any chances against him. Cook waited 18 deliveries to score his first run off Praveen this morning,while Strauss took 13.

Unlike Wednesday,the start of the days play was less spectacular. There were no extravagant front foot drives,the kind that Gautam Gambhir frequently indulged in. More importantly,there were also no tentative pokes,which led to the binary-digit score dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar.

Story continues below this ad

The theory inculcated early on in a aspiring cricketers life is to allow the bowler to dominate the first session,only to take over in the next,for a tiring bowler is the first sign to reap the harvest. This specific cricketing wisdom is very relevant on dark and gloomy English days. Strauss 87,out after lunch followed half the advise,while Cook 182,at stumps fully adhered to it.