India lord it over England with emphatic 95-run victory

Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma and Virat Kohli celebrate the dismissal of Moeen Ali during the second test at Lord’s. —AP

This victory, only India’s second in 17 Tests at Lord’s, put the tourists 1-0 up in the five-match series after the drawn opener at Trent Bridge. Meanwhile this result extended England’s run without a Test win to 10 matches.

England, chasing 319 for victory, were bowled out for 223 with paceman Sharma taking five for 24 in 33 balls either side of lunch as the hosts demonstrated an alarming weakness against the short ball. The slump saw England, who had been 173 for four, lose their last six wickets for 50 runs. Sharma’s final figures of seven for 74 were his best in Tests. England resumed Monday on 105 for four, having only three times in their history made more than 300 in the fourth innings to win a Test. On the stroke of lunch, England were 173 for four with Joe Root and Moeen Ali holding firm.

However, to the very last ball of the session, Ali departed. The resumption saw several England batsmen fall to bouncer traps so obvious they might as well as have been sign-posted.