Broad hat-trick revives England

By Sam Sheringham
BBC Sport at Trent Bridge

Second Test, Trent Bridge (day two):

England 221 & 24-1 v India 288 - England trail by 43 runs

Broad's place in the team was in doubt heading into this series Stuart Broad took a sensational hat-trick to fire England back into contention in the second Test against India at Trent Bridge.

The tourists were in total control of the match, leading by 46 on 267-4, when Broad dismissed Yuvraj Singh for 62 to break his partnership of 128 with centurion Rahul Dravid.

Then in his next over Broad had Mahendra Dhoni caught in the slips, Harbhajan Singh trapped leg before wicket and Praveen Kumar clean bowled in successive balls to send the crowd at his home ground into delirium.

Broad was the 12th Englishman to take a hat-trick in Test cricket and the first since Ryan Sidebottom in Hamilton in 2008.

Dravid was caught soon afterwards for 116, before Broad removed Ishant Sharma to wrap up the India innings for 288.

That wicket gave Broad Test-best figures of 6-46 and completed an astonishing 16-ball spell of five wickets for no runs.

It was a breathless period of play, and all the more remarkable for the fact that Broad was once again the instigator of England's comeback - the Nottinghamshire all-rounder having struck a rapid 64 to rescue England from 124-8 to 221 all out in their first innings on Friday.

Continue reading the main story Phil Tufnell,
Former England spinner and BBC summariser

Absolutely riveting day's cricket. This series is getting better and better, a great effort by Stuart Broad really dragged England back into the match. It looked like India would bat us out of the game but England will be thinking if they bat well and get a lead of 250-260 they will have a great chance. I can't wait to come back tomorrow

India's collapse left England 11 overs at the end of the day and they finished up 24-1, 43 runs behind, after Alastair Cook was caught off a leading edge.

Up until Broad's dramatic intervention the day had been entirely India's, with Dravid and VVS Laxman scoring 69 in the first hour - 56 of those runs coming in boundaries.

Laxman advanced untroubled to his 54th Test fifty before the return of Tim Bresnan from the Pavilion End brought about his downfall. One away swinger beat the bat, but the following ball caught the outside edge and was snaffled by a jubilant Matt Prior.

Sachin Tendulkar received a standing ovation as he set out once more in search of his 100th international century. But the Little Master's poor run of form continued as he was caught in the slips off Broad for 16 before Suresh Raina glided a catch straight to Eoin Morgan at point.

With the seamers bowling well, England were on top, and they should have reduced India to 144-5 when Yuvraj - on four - was dropped by Kevin Pietersen in the gully.

The error proved costly as Yuvraj and Dravid batted India well beyond England's total, with Dravid reaching three figures for the second successive Test and the 34th time overall.

The duo scored at almost four runs per over but just when they seemed to be taking the game away from England, the second new ball provided the catalyst for Broad to unleash an unforgettable spell.

Continue reading the main story Malcolm Ashton,
Test Match Special scorer Broad is the 12th Englishman to take a Test hat-trick and the 39th in Test historyRyan Sidebottom was the last Englishman to achieve the feat - against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2008Broad was the final victim of the last Test hat-trick - Peter Siddle v England in Brisbane in November 2010England are first side to take a Test hat-trick against India

It started when a ball angled across Yuvraj drew an edge and the catch was taken by Prior.

With the baying crowd roaring him to the crease, Broad produced a quicker ball that Dhoni slashed to second slip and a straight one that trapped Harbhajan on his crease, although replays revealed the ball took an inside edge on his pads.

The hat-trick ball was superb, moving in off the seam and slamming into Kumar's middle stump.

England's reply got off to an inauspicious start when Cook was removed cheaply, but Strauss and Ian Bell survived a testing period at the end.

Bell was forced to bat at number three after Jonathan Trott suffered a shoulder injury in the field, although a scan revealed no bone damage and he will be assessed again on Sunday morning.

Listen to Jonathan Agnew and Geoff Boycott's review of the day's play on the TMS podcast.

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