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The most contentious aspect of the Decision Review System – the ball-tracker – is being put to the test by the ICC at the Cambridge University to establish the accuracy of the two rival tracker systems accredited by the ICC for the DRS.The ball-tracking technologies currently in use for the DRS – the Hawk-Eye and the Virtual Eye – are being tested by a company called Computer Vision Consulting Limited. The results of the test should be available to the ICC’s cricket committee in time for its next meeting in May this year.Dave Richardson, the ICC’s general manager of cricket, told ESPNcricinfo in an interview that the company had been asked to review “the level of accuracy and reliability of the two ball-tracking companies … In terms of accuracy we want to know whether their virtual depictions of where the ball has pitched and where the ball has impacted the batsman accord with the reality, and whether their predictions as to where the ball would have hit the stumps are correct.”The issue of reliability he said was to find out “the percentage of times they can deliver an accurate tracking. If, in a Test, there are 60 lbw appeals and the ball-tracking technology is only able to deliver an accurate tracking on, for example, 50 of those occasions, then they would not be regarded as very reliable. On the other hand, if they were getting it right on 97 out of 100 occasions, we would probably regard that as being acceptable.”Before the introduction of the DRS in 2008, Richardson said, the ICC had conducted some basic manual testing which had left them satisfied before launching the system. The current test he said was “a far more detailed review by a completely independent party. Hawk-Eye and Virtual Eye both tell us how accurate they are, but this will verify those claims.” The contention between the two rival ball-tracker technologies was largely around the number of frame rates offered by their cameras in order to provide data to work with the ball tracker.The ball-tracking technology was first included as part of the DRS’ earliest mandatory requirements but in June, the ICC made it optional, and the Hot Spot infrared thermal imaging camera compulsory. Both technologies have come under criticism, due to a series of what appeared to be flaws.When responding to the criticism that the ICC should have tested all the available DRS technology thoroughly, Richardson said, “We were satisfied with the testing we did. We tested the accuracy as far as we could, and to an extent it showed that the technology was at least accurate and reliable enough for it to be used in the manner that we have used it.”Most misgivings about the accuracy of the technology, he said, came from people being “misled” by what they saw on TV or the angle of sight while watching a contentious dismissal. The picture of slow motion replays under DRS often came, he said, from cameras set to the side of the bowler’s arm rather than directly behind it.”People see a replay on TV and say, ‘That looks as if it was hitting leg stump.’ But then Hawk-Eye shows it just missing and you say to yourself, ‘That just cannot be.’ But what people don’t realise is that the camera for the slow-motion replay might not have been behind the bowler’s arm. There are three cameras in a row and the one used for slow-motion replays is one of the ones on the side. So, often the picture you see on your TV screen is slightly misleading.”What was needed, he said, was to give the viewer “the evidence to prove that [people] should trust the evidence provided by the ball-tracking technology, not what they might see on television.”There were no plans to test the Hot Spot technology because, “Hot Spot is real, it’s not a virtual picture.” What the owners will be working on is to make their cameras more sensitive so that the “smallest of touches” could be visible. The priority of the infra-red cameras in use in the DRS was their “sensitivity, that is, its ability to generate a visible heat mark as opposed to clearly defined pictures which look nice but do not provide the level of sensitivity to pick up the faintest of edges.”He admitted what while Hot Spot cameras may not be able to pick up the very faint touches, “they will never show a mark where there is no touch and they are also very useful in distinguishing between whether the ball has touched the bat or gloves, as opposed to, for example, the thigh guard, arm guard, shoulder or helmet.”He said in time, the ICC would like communication between the on-field and third umpire during a DRS discussion to be heard on TV. “Hopefully when the umpires are so confident in the system and so well versed in using it, we will be able to do that. That’s the aim.”

Virat Kohli has been fined 50% of his match fee after he was seen gesturing to the crowd with his middle finger on the second day. The level two charge was laid by the match referee Ranjan Madugalle on the third morning of the SCG Test.Kohli went to the hearing along with manager Shivlal Yadav. He pleaded guilty, India’s media manager GS Walia, said. Walia added that the matter was closed as far as the Indian team was concerned.India had a long second day in the field, with Australia piling up 366 runs for the loss of one wicket. When Kohli was posted on the boundary, he said he had heard abuse worse than he ever had in his life. He posted on Twitter, “i agree cricketers dont have to retaliate. what when the crowd says the worst things about your mother and sister. the worst ive heard”Kohli found a sympathiser in Kevin Pietersen, who replied to his tweet thus: “ha ha ha ha ha!!! Welcome to Australia buddy!!” To which Kohli replied: “never heard crap like that. EVER”Pietersen went on to tell Kohli that the Australian crowds are such that they abuse even their own when they start losing. Kohli began the third day on a more positive Twitter note that said, “New day new beginning! :)”According to a Cricket Australia spokesperson, since CA has kept keeping such records, the second day of this Test was the first time no spectator was evicted during a Test in Australia. There have been no formal complaints about crowd behaviour.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, has asked his batsmen to take responsibility and arrest their worrying slide, after his team shuddered to a 4-1 defeat in the ODI series against Pakistan.”I can still take positives, especially from the bowling unit – who did a great job throughout the series,” Dilshan said, after the loss in the fifth ODI in Abu Dhabi. “[However], we must be worried about the batting as most of the batsmen didn’t click. We played seven batsmen, but in every match only two or three were performing and the rest were failing. So there are some areas of concern that we have to sit down to discuss. Everyone has to take responsibility before going to South Africa.”While the one-sided scoreline suggests otherwise, Sri Lanka were in strong positions in a couple of games that they went on to lose. Dilshan admitted the inability to close out matches from winning positions cost his side. “The third and fourth ODIs, we should have won easy. At some stages we were going very well, but we didn’t finish and hence lost the series. Otherwise we would have won the series 3-2.”Dilshan has endured a horror run with the bat since taking over as the full-time captain, but brushed aside the general impression that captaincy was denting his own form. “I took over the captaincy in England series and got good runs,” he said. “Unfortunately, I broke my finger and after then I didn’t play enough. After the injury I am lacking in confidence and form. But I know I am good and I can get runs. I want to go back to Sri Lanka work on few areas to get back my form.”Sri Lanka lost the Test series 1-0 prior to the ODI defeat against Pakistan. Their next assignment is in South Africa, where they are yet to register a Test win, and have generally struggled over the years.”We have three weeks before the next tour starts,” Dilshan said. “I think the batting group should be working on some area. It’s better that we can go back to the Sri lankan domestic season and every one can play at least two-three matches to get the form. Everyone knows there are mistakes, and they can correct them quickly before going to South Africa – that is on the mind at the moment.”Dilshan further described Pakistan as a better side than his own. “They have more good players, with more options on the bench. They have seven bowlers out of whom, most can bat as well. So they are not a bad side, they are a good ODI side and in Tests as well.”

R Ashwin, the India offspinner, will be given the Dilip Sardesai award for being the best performer in the home Test series against West Indies.Ashwin was the Man of the Series in his debut series, which India won 2-0, taking 22 wickets at an average of 22.90. He claimed nine wickets on debut in Delhi, won two Man-of-the-Match awards, and also scored 121 runs at an average of 40.33. He made his maiden century in the third Test in Mumbai, where he steered India to a tense draw in the fourth innings.He will be given the award at the BCCI awards ceremony in Chennai in December.The BCCI instituted the Dilip Sardesai Award in 2007 for the player who performs best in bilateral series between India and West Indies. Ishant Sharma was given the award for India’s tour of the Caribbean earlier this year.

A tight performance in the field and a well-paced innings from Ishank Jaggi gave Jharkhand a comfortable win against Orissa in Jamshedpur, their first of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after their first two matches were abandoned due to rain. Orissa had three run-outs in their innings and got a low total of 103 for 9. Jaggi scored an unbeaten 37 as Jharkhand knocked off the total in 18.3 overs for the loss of four wickets. Orissa’s innings had no momentum at the top, with opener Sumitosh Praharaj getting his 40 at a strike-rate of 80.00. They did manage to lay a base, though, and got to 74 for 2 in the 15th over, but the late onslaught never came. Instead, wickets fell consistently and the total was never going to be competitive. Jharkhand started the chase cautiously but Jaggi picked up the pace and got his 37 off as many balls. Captain Saurabh Tiwary contributed 21 as Orissa were handed their first defeat of the tournament.Bengal’s bowlers limited Tripura to only 95 for 9 to set up a comfortable chase for their batsmen in Jamshedpur. Tripura lost their captain Rajib Saha and were soon reduced to 35 for 3. They then had their largest partnership of the match – 41 – between Kaushal Acharjee and Bappa Das. At 76 for 3 in the 15th over, Bengal began to wreck Tripura, taking four wickets for three runs. Ashok Dinda finished with 2 for 29 and Shami Ahmed 2 for 14. Bengal lost opening batsman Shreevats Goswami for a duck during their chase but Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and Wriddhiman Saha scored 30 and 35 to help Bengal score 98 for 4 in the 19th over. Tushar Saha took 2 for 15 in four overs for Tripura.

Stuart Law, the Bangladesh coach, has said that dropping Mohammad Ashraful for the two Tests against West Indies was a message that players needed to perform if they wanted to play for the country.The Test side, Law said, had been “underachieving as a unit” and maybe “it is time for a change.” It also provided an opportunity for the players who have come in to the squad “to stick their hand up and stake a claim for a ten-year career.”Bangladesh had been defeated by Zimbabwe on their comeback to Test cricket, after which Shakib Al Hasan was removed as captain and replaced by Mushfiqur Rahim. Their Test squad, named on October 18 after a win in the final ODI in Chittagong, did not include Ashraful and left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, while allrounder Mahmudullah and fast bowler Shafiul Islam were not fit.Ashraful’s axeing, after a poor ODI series against West Indies, did not mean that he was finished, Law said. “He’s a great guy to have around the dressing-room. His work ethic has been outstanding, whether it be gym sessions, training, batting, bowling or fielding, he is always there. You want to see him have success but unfortunately, other things have come in.”He’s not in the Test side but he’s not finished. He has his best years ahead of him. He needs to go away and think about ways to score runs. If he does that, I think he’ll be successful.”Sometimes these calls are made not to disregard the player completely but to make sure he understands that if you play in the team, you’ve got to be performing. That’d be the message to all the players: if you want to be part of the Bangladesh team, you can’t do okay. You have to perform.”Of the new players in the squad, Law said that left-arm spinner Elias Sunny had “the chance to stake a claim for a long career.””I’ve seen him in the BCB Cup, he has pretty good numbers in first-class cricket. He showed plenty of control and took wickets in the BCB Cup and the four-day game. That’s all you need to do as a spinner.”Law said that Robiul Islam had been left out of the squad because Bangladesh were “very unlikely to play three seamers” in the Tests against West Indies. Nazmul Hossain, Rubel Hossain and Shahadat Hossain are the medium-pacers in the squad.”He [Robiul] misses out but he’s very firmly in our plans. He has a big heart and he always keeps trying. That’s the sort of bowler we want. There are a couple of issues with his action that we can iron out in the next few weeks. He can bowl a lot quicker and swing more.”

Ladies and gentlemen, your Man of the Series. If match awards in Galle and Pallekele were not enough, Michael Hussey strengthened his grip on the individual garlands still further by constructing an expert 118 to hold Australia’s middling first innings together at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.He did it in much the same style with which runs were collected in the first two Tests, demonstrating patience, placement, and hands that were in equal part deft and powerful. Hussey now has four centuries in five Tests against Sri Lanka. However it is his 95 on a spiteful surface in Galle that sticks strongest in his memory.”I think the first innings in Galle really stands out at the moment,” Hussey said. “Because the conditions were so challenging and to get our team into a great position to win that Test, the first Test of a series, gives me a lot of pleasure. Having said that you’ve got to work hard for every Test match hundred, so I’m elated with all of them.”Well as he has played, Hussey still began this Test with a demotion in the batting order, to accommodate Shaun Marsh at No. 3. The move down to No. 6 seemed scant reward for the form Hussey has demonstrated over the past 12 months, during which he was the only batsman to consistently defy England’s rampant Ashes tourists, and in Sri Lanka has held the entire home attack in thrall.”I’m not fussed at all about being at No. 6,” he said. “Opposition teams will look at our batting order and think it is pretty daunting; if we get some guys in and doing well, it is going to be a very powerful batting order.”Hussey also said he did not want to read too much into his recent run of good scores because form can be a fickle thing. “I’ve always wondered about this good form and bad form thing; there’s such a fine line between them. Sometimes you just need that little bit of luck. Getting a good score early in a series does wonders for your confidence. You feel like you can just relax, play your game. But I’ve never liked to say I’m in good form because it only takes a couple of good balls and you’re suddenly in bad form.”Two of Hussey’s more significant partnerships in this series have been in the company of Marsh, who has made 141 and 81 in his first two Test innings to provide the other major bulwark of Australia’s batting. Marsh’s dismissal late on the first day saw the Australian innings take a turn towards mediocrity, and Hussey said, despite his effort, Australia had fallen a bit short of a good total.”The conditions, as the ball got older, were very good for batting, so it would’ve been nice if we’d gone over 350. Having said that we did lose the toss and on the first morning there was a little bit of juice in the pitch.”The shortfall has placed Australia in their most tenuous position of the series, more or less at the mercy of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara on their beloved SSC strip, where they have now scored 1607 runs in partnership with each other. For this reason, Hussey pointed to the third day as the most important one of the series.”It is a little ominous I must admit. They keep putting the statistics up on the board and you can look it at one of two ways, you can either say ‘oh dear’ or you can say ‘well they’re due to fail’, so hopefully it is the latter. It’s certainly going to be hard to dislodge them with the older ball, but hopefully with the second new ball we can make a few inroads; that’s going to be a key part of the game I think.”It is probably the biggest day of the series coming up tomorrow, if we can bowl well, restrict them and take the wickets, then it is going to put us in a fantastic position to win the Test match, but if we can’t get rid of Kumar and Mahela, they’re going to give themselves every chance to win the Test as well.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKevin Pietersen hit 175 in a mammoth stand with Ian Bell on the second day•Getty Images

To say England dominated at The Oval doesn’t really do their performance justice. Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen, both with their second hundreds of the series, combined for a third-wicket stand of 350, England’s second highest third-wicket stand, as the hosts plundered their way to 457 for 3 with Bell unbeaten on 181 to leave India facing a three-day fight to avoid a whitewash.For the first session there was actually a contest as England’s openers departed but India’s challenge evaporated after lunch to such an extent that the remaining 72 overs brought 331 runs. Bell’s 16th Test century was classical and elegant while Pietersen thrilled with some of his strokeplay in his 19th hundred as the bowlers wilted. Both batsmen had to earn the right to score freely by battling through to lunch and ensured they didn’t waste the hard work.It became a head-to-head between the pair for each of the milestones. Bell was the first to his fifty and hundreds, but Pietersen, who went to his hundred with a crunching pull off the first ball after tea, reached 150 ahead of his team-mate as he unleashed his full array of strokes during the final session including a switch hit off Amit Mishra. Bell, though, caught up with consecutive sixes off Mishra in the final half an hour of the day and will have a chance of his maiden Test double on Saturday.Pietersen, who was dropped at mid-on by Gautam Gambhir the ball after reaching his hundred, missed out on the chance of his second double in the series when he chipped a return catch to Suresh Raina for 175 shortly before the close. The partnership had moved past the 308 of Graham Gooch and Allan Lamb at Lord’s in 1990 and sits behind the 370 added by Denis Compton and Bill Edrich against South Africa, again at Lord’s, in 1947.It was the latest example of the hunger among the England batsmen and if there were any question marks over a loss of intensity with the series secured the ruthlessness of Bell and Pietersen showed how they have refocused their minds. Again, though, it has to be said that, after the morning session, the bowling was friendly and fielding even worse.What a false dawn the early exchanges proved to be. Ishant Sharma struck with the fifth ball of the day when Alastair Cook was caught at first slip and Andrew Strauss, who added just two to his overnight score from 32 deliveries, edged a loose drive at Sreesanth to leave England 97 for 2. That was the highpoint of India’s day, and could even prove the highpoint of their match.

Smart stats

• The 350-run stand between Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell is the second-highest third-wicket stand for England in Tests. It is also the sixth 300-plus third-wicket stand against India.

• Pietersen and Bell have been involved in five century stands in their last ten partnerships. They have now aggregated 1283 runs in Tests since July 2008 at an average of 128.30.

• Pietersen’s century is his 19th in Tests bringing him joint-sixth on the list of England batsmen with the most Test hundreds.

• Pietersen also moves level with Ian Botham and Graham Gooch on the list of England batsmen with most centuries against India (5).

• Pietersen now has eight 150-plus scores in Tests. Only Wally Hammond and Len Hutton are above him on the list of England batsmen with most 150-plus scores.

• England have now scored 100 centuries against India in Tests. West Indies are second with 98 centuries.

• England batsmen have now scored seven centuries in the series. They have achieved the feat on only two previous occasions against India in 1990 (nine centuries) and 1934 (seven centuries).

• Bell’s current aggregate of 896 runs in 2011 is second only to Alastair Cook’s tally of 927. However, Bell has scored the most centuries in the calendar year so far (5).

• Bell’s hundred is his 16th century overall and 11th in home Tests. It is also his second 150-plus score of the series.

Ishant was excellent during his first spell of 6-3-7-1 but, with his extensive workload in this series and in West Indies beforehand, it was little surprise he became less effective. RP Singh, meanwhile, just isn’t prepared for Test cricket and Sreesanth huffed and puffed without much impact. Mishra was bowling round the wicket at Pietersen’s pads before tea and was given some harsh treatment.The work of Bell and Pietersen was the perfect example of weathering a tough period and cashing in later. Bell laid the ground work following the early dismissal of Cook and, after his innings at Edgbaston last week which was a skittish affair, he was back in full control in the way he had been at Trent Bridge during his 159.As in that innings third man was a favourite area with India refusing to plug the gap. They preferred a man at deep point, but Bell toyed with them as he slotted boundaries either side of the sweeper. He continued to churn out the runs with the efficiency and style he has shown during a season where his Test average is well over 100. In fitting style his hundred came with a sweetly-timed back-foot drive off Raina having faced 181 deliveries with the second fifty taking 71 balls. With the early threat of Ishant nullified it became an exercise in milking and retaining concentration – Bell had no problem with either.Pietersen had dominated the partnership early on, firstly while the pair consolidated before the lunch break and then when the rate increased. The first 10 overs of the afternoon brought 59 runs and Pietersen took the attack to Mishra. The contest had started when Pietersen cracked Mishra’s first ball through the off side and it was clear he wasn’t going to let the legspinner settle. Mishra’s lack of drift allowed Pietersen to target the leg side and midwicket was a profitable area.There was a nervous moment for Pietersen when he was nearly caught at leg slip, in very similar fashion to the early chance during his double hundred at Lord’s, as he flicked Ishant off the last ball before lunch but the catch didn’t quite carry. Unlike at Lord’s there was no controversy, but it had been a clever piece of thinking from Ishant who’d noticed how far across the stumps Pietersen was moving.However, India’s fielding has been largely shoddy during the series and there were two examples in consecutive balls with Pietersen approaching his hundred. RP Singh didn’t appear fully committed to a catch at long-off when Pietersen miscued a lofted drive off Raina, then off the first ball of the next over, he dived over a ball at deep backward square to gift another boundary. Gambhir’s later drop added the list of errors and, to top things off for India, he was left dazed after banging his head. The scoreboard will have left him dizzy, too.

India Emerging Players completed an impressive opening day in the second-round of three-day matches, reducing New Zealand A to 24 for 2 after piling up 404 for 6 declared in Townsville.New Zealand justified their decision to bowl, as their opening pair Trent Boult and Andy McKay removed India’s top three with only 22 on the board. Manoj Tiwary and Saurabh Tiwary steadied the innings with a fluent century stand though. Saurabh fell for 42 to the left-arm spin of Luke Woodcock, following which a 160-run fifth-wicket partnership between Manoj and Manish Pandey put India firmly in control. The runs came in quick time, with both batsmen striking 11 fours apiece and 14 sixes between them. Pandey was out four short of a hundred and when Manoj was caught off McKay for 188, captain Shikhar Dhawan declared allowing his bowlers a 13-over crack at the New Zealand line-up. They did not disappoint, Vinay Kumar and Jaidev Unadkat snagging an opener each.Five-wicket hauls from Kyle Abbott and Obus Pienaar helped South Africa Emerging Players bowl out Australian Institute of Sport for 224 at Endeavour Park. An unbroken half-century stand between Reeza Hendricks and Temba Bavuma then steered the visitors to 76 for 1 at stumps.Opening bowler Abbott made early inroads, dismissing Marcus Harris and Tim Armstrong for single digit scores, before Sam Whiteman and Tom Beaton put together a promising stand. Left-armer Pienaar then broke through, dismissing both batsmen and most of the middle-order. The only resistance came from wicketkeeper-captain Ryan Carters – who top scored with 66 – and No. 9 batsman Nathan Brain, who remained unbeaten on 54. South Africa lost Jon-Jon Smuts early, but the solid second-wicket stand ensured they went to stumps in front.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outZaheer Khan’s injury was a decisive moment in the second session•Getty Images

Only 49.2 overs were possible on the first day of the 2000th Test, but Zaheer Khan found time enough to strike two big blows for India and one against them. He hobbled off with what looked like hamstring trouble, having bowled 13.3 exquisite overs for 18 runs and the wickets of the dangerous England openers. He should have had the big wicket of Jonathan Trott to his credit minutes before he pulled up sore, but England’s No. 3 was reprieved behind the wicket for a second time. Those chances shouldn’t take much away from how well Trott batted, whipping and cutting gloriously in his unbeaten 58, while all others kept playing and missing.India made a much better start than they are used to on first days of big series, but they will still feel disappointed with just two wickets after nearly two sessions of bowling under overcast skies with the ball nipping around appreciably on a track freshened up by early showers. Most of the blame would have to be apportioned to their fielding.Three chances went unclaimed. Ishant Sharma missed Andrew Strauss’s run-out when he was on 2. Rahul Dravid dropped Trott on 8 off Harbhajan Singh’s first ball, 10 minutes before lunch. Twenty-four Trott runs later, Zaheer bowled him a beauty from round the stumps, leaving him against the angle, taking the edge, but also swinging after passing the stumps. MS Dhoni went for the catch but pulled out once he saw the swing, Dravid – not completely blind-sighted – failed to go for it, and Zaheer was left agonising. Those were the first runs conceded by him in 34 deliveries.Zaheer’s agony increased in his next over when he walked off with England at 107 for 2 in the 42nd over. Andrew Flintoff, no stranger to injuries himself, tweeted immediately: “If Zaheer doesn’t come back on there goes the number 1 spot!”It wasn’t all about Zaheer, though. To start off, after the half-hour delay, MS Dhoni began a second straight away series with success at the toss. Answering their captain’s call to bowl first, both Zaheer and Praveen Kumar asked persistent questions with movement either-way.The start lived up to the hype. The England openers – a prolific combination – played out three maidens, taking time to get used to the Indians’ tricks. The ball swung big, and Strauss and Alastair Cook played as late as possible. There were regular plays and misses, especially when Praveen bowled to Strauss. In a first spell that read 9-4-18-0, he beat Strauss’s edge six times, and three times the edges didn’t go to hand.It was an interesting choice of ends for Zaheer and Praveen: Zaheer took the Nursery End, which could hamper his swing, and the Pavilion End helped Praveen’s inswingers, not his more comfortable suit. That England open with two left-hand batsmen might have had a part to play in the decision, and it worked too. Zaheer got Cook with movement in, the first time Cook was dismissed for less than 55 since last December. it reduced England to 19 for 1 after 11 overs.Having survived the run-out opportunity early, Strauss defended grimly, but fell to a left-arm quick for the 12th time since December 2009. It was only the second short ball tried by Zaheer in 8.4 overs. The first took a bottom edge, and this one a top edge to long leg. Zaheer to Strauss: 11 innings, six wickets.Trott, though, had put behind him the reprieve from Dravid, and looked comfortable. He played into the on side from in front of stumps, whipped off his hips for fours, and when Dhoni employed a defensive on-side field, cut through the off side. His alertness showed in how he handled Praveen’s swing in the afternoon session. In the 39th over of the innings, after a spell full of outswingers from the Nursery End, Praveen bowled a big inswinger. Lesser batsmen have fallen to that, but Trott’s bat came down just in time, and also placed it wide of mid-on. That shot said a lot more about his effort than the eight boundaries.Kevin Pietersen batted like he had ants in his pants, moving around in his crease trying to counter the swing, edging and missing in all ways possible. Once he came down the track and lofted Harbhajan over mid-on, though, it seemed he had turned a corner, and so had India. Pietersen didn’t face Harbhajan with the mid-on up after that, and kept picking easy singles.Zaheer had walked off by then, and things looked bright for England as the partnership flourished to an unbeaten 65 off 24.4 overs. Lord’s, though, turned gloomy and wet. One would venture that India were the happier side when rain meant there was no play after 3.50pm.