Moeen's star turn stuns India

Visitors capitulate by 266 runs as off-spinning all-rounder takes six wickets

 At least two batsmen needed to show some sensibleness to bail India out of the woods. But all they could offer on a sunny Thursday were frazzled nerves and inadequate technique.

Resuming from their overnight 112 for four, India lost their next six wickets for just 66 runs to get bundled out for 178, handing England a massive 266-run victory in the third Test. The five-match series is level 1-1 now with two more matches to go at Manchester and the Oval.

James Anderson, that master craftsman, started India’s slide in the morning session, nipping out two quick wickets of Rohit Sharma and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Even on a gloriously bright day, Anderson found enough movement and bounce to trouble the Indians. Rohit could not resist the temptation to poke at a wide delivery, and Jos Buttler, who was outstanding behind the stumps throughout this match, did the rest with ease.

Couple of overs later, Anderson moved a delivery fractionally away from Dhoni, and the Jharkhand man’s forward push resulted in a simple catch for Buttler. Anderson’s spell in the morning session read an impressive 6-2-11-2, also an indication of why the Lancashire pacer has been so much valued in the England set-up.

But Anderson might miss the Old Trafford Test as Gordon Lewis, the ICC-appointed Judicial Commissioner, is set to hear a Level III offence charged against him by the Indians for an alleged altercation also involving Ravindra Jadeja.

However, there was no trace of anxiety in him in that phase, and at 120 for six, there was not much remaining for India, save for the faint hope of their tailenders mounting a rescue work.

Moeen Ali nipped all such ambitions with a wonderful exhibition of off-spin bowling, completing a six-wicket haul (6-67). Ali had showed his effectiveness on a pitch where the rough patch was getting bigger, taking two wickets in the previous evening. Ajinkya Rahane and Jadeja seemed to take India safely towards the post-lunch session, adding 32 runs for the seventh-wicket stand.

Once Anderson and Stuart Broad was taken out of the attack after an extended spell in the first hour, the Indians also seemed comfortable facing Chris Woakes. But they didn’t see the damage Ali was about to bring on. Jadeja attempted to play a whip against the spin, but the ball beat the down-coming bat to rattle the stumps. That was the beginning of the end for India.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami, the pair that added 111 runs at Trent Bridge, found the conditions at Ageas Bowl vastly different, and couldn’t survive long, falling to Ali.

Pankaj Singh offered fun for a while before Ali’s straighter one pegged his off-stump back, triggering joyous scenes in the English camp. It was a much-awaited win for England after 10 matches that brought only disappointment for them.

Rahane, who meanwhile compiled an unbeaten fifty, was a mute spectator to the carnage around him. His innings remained a sad reminder on how to nullify a part-time spinner. In the past too, Indian batsmen had fallen to part-timers, particularly to the left-arm spin of Michael Clarke. The Australian captain had spun a web around them in Mumbai some years back to claim six wickets for nine runs, while he took three quick wickets to push India to defeat during the 2007-08 tour.

At Southampton, those bitter memories were rekindled as Ali toyed with a clutch of Indian batsmen who were indecisive on whether to be aggressive or bide their time. Now, the Indians will have nearly a weeklong rest before the next Test, beginning on August 7.

They will certainly need to introspect on a variety of areas such as slip catching and opening. It will be tough and painful, but they perforce need to go through it.