Brook hits ton, Smith powers Eng to 355/5 at tea

Harry Brook enhanced his lofty credentials with a ninth hundred in 27 Tests as he and Jamie Smith took England to 355 for five in a wicket-less afternoon session on day three of the second Test against India here Friday.
After leaking 172 runs in the morning session, the Indian bowlers were able to bring down the run-rate but did not create enough chances to break a marathon stand between Brook and Smith. The unbroken sixth wicket partnership stood at 271 off 323 balls as England collected 106 runs in 28 overs. The short ball plan failed in the morning, therefore, the Indian pacers changed the tactic to bowling a wide line especially to Brook. The plan was not persisted with for long enough. The only chance for India in the post-lunch session came when Rishabh Pant dropped a tough chance off Smith diving to his right off Nitish Reddy.
In the morning session India skipper Shubhman Gill had dropped Brook, though it was a tough chance. Brook had slashed hard at Ravindra Jadeja and the edge flew towards first slip where Gill could not react in time, taking the blow on his head.
India are playing two spinners to control the run flow but has not got much success yet on that front with both Jadeja and Washington Sundar going for runs.
Brook got to his hundred shortly after lunch with a guide off Krishna towards third man. In the penultimate over before tea, Brook got couple of fours via a reverse sweep and one from back of the bat off an attempted pull.
In the morning session, Mohammed Siraj struck twice in as many balls but Smith swung the momentum back in England’s favour with a counter attacking hundred as the hosts raced to 249 for five at lunch. Smith smashed a memorable hundred in less than a session while England strikingly hammered 172 runs in 27 overs in the first two hours of play.
Resuming the day at 77 for three, England lost half their side in the second over of the morning session when Siraj had Joe Root (22) and Ben Stokes (0) caught behind. Root’s was a soft dismissal as he got faint tickle down the leg side while Stokes was surprised to get a sharply rising ball first up. England were reduced to 84 for five but Smith and Brook continued to attack and put pressure back on the opposition.
Prasidh Krishna was brought in to implement the short ball plan with six fielders on the leg side but that failed as Smith got the better of him in the 12th over of the morning that yielded 23 runs. Four boundaries and a six over deep square leg came in that eventful over.
India persisted it with Krishna, whose following over went for 11. His figures after the session read 8-0-61-0. It is not often that Brook is outscored but it happened on Friday as Smith relentlessly attacked the Indian bowlers.
Smith also did not allow spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Washginton Sundar get into any sort of rhythm. Sundar was driven for back to back fours by Smith in his first two balls before the wicket-keeper batter collected a six and a four from Jadeja in the following over.
Smith got to his second Test hundred off 80, the third fastest by Englishman, with consecutive fours off Jadeja in the last over before lunch.
Brief Score
India 1st innings: 587 all out
England 1st innings: 355 for 5 in 75 overs (Jamie Smith 157 batting, Harry Brook 140 batting; M Siraj 3/57, Akash Deep 2/70).