LEEDS, England (AP) — Harry Brook held England’s reply together as India took two wickets on the third morning Sunday of the test series opener at Headingley.
Brook was taking the attack to India with 57 not out, and using up lives, as England reached 327-5 at lunch, 144 runs behind India.
England scored 118 runs in the session.
India spearhead Jasprit Bumrah finally got support from his fellow bowlers as Prasidh Krishna bagged Ollie Pope on 106 and Mohammed Siraj claimed Ben Stokes on 20. Both were nicked off.
Bumrah, who took the three England wickets on Saturday but should have had a five-for, had no luck on Sunday, but Brook also had a say.
The batter, playing on his home ground, went after all of India’s bowlers successfully for his 20th fifty-plus test score in his 42nd inning. He had seven boundaries and, in the day’s first over, slogged Krishna for six over deep midwicket.
Then Brook came down the track at Bumrah to bash him through the covers. Brook drove Krishna on the up for another four then charged at Siraj. Siraj adjusted but Brook still lifted the ball over the slips cordon to the deep third boundary.
Ravindra Jadeja’s spin troubled Brook the most but he pulled him to the square leg boundary with one bounce.
Jadeja was getting the ball to fizz so well that Rishabh Pant dropped a tough chance at the stumps when Brook gave an outside edge on 46.
That was Brook’s second life. Bumrah got him caught in Saturday’s last over but overstepped.
After Pope was out early, adding only six runs to his overnight 100, Brook’s assertiveness allowed Stokes to settle.
Stokes lasted nearly an hour until he feathered Siraj behind.
Jamie Smith, 29 not out, joined Brooks and their partnership by lunch was an unbeaten 51.
Both teams wore black armbands following the death of David ‘Syd’ Lawrence, England’s first British-born Black cricketer. He was 61.
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