Stuart Broad destroys India’s batting and James Anderson takes his 100th Test wicket at Lord’s as England crush tourists to go 2-0 up
Joe Root's men won by by an innings and 159 runs at Lord's as veteran pacemen Broad and Anderson do the damage
JAMES ANDERSON took his 100th Test wicket at Lord’s and went past the remarkable career milestone of 550 victims.
And Stuart Broad produced one of his surging, irresistible spells that removed Virat Kohli and wrecked India’s middle-order.
Yes, England’s record-breaking and apparently ageless old firm were in perfect harmony once more as the rain-hit Second Test became a one-sided procession.
England stormed to victory by the enormous margin of an innings and 159 runs in a total of just 170.3 overs – fewer than two days’ play.
Anderson elevated his match figures to 9-43 while Broad’s epic performance from the Pavilion End included a blitz of 7-4-7-4.
It was an antidote to the grim headlines emerging from Bristol in recent days and showed England can manage well in a home Test without Ben Stokes.
In both innings, England’s swing and seam bowlers were given the perfect overcast and moist conditions and they exploited their good fortune with ruthless skill.
Leg-spinner Adil Rashid didn’t bowl a ball in the match. And he didn’t bat, either.
India’s batsmen were woefully incapable of any sort of resistance and the highest score in the series by a batsman other than Kohli is the 33 not out made by Ravi Ashwin yesterday.
A couple of interruptions for drizzle did not help their cause or concentration, either.
But India are the No.1 ranked team in the world so, regardless of the juicy conditions, winning back-to-back Tests and taking a 2-0 lead in the series is no mean feat by England.
Captain Joe Root is already eyeing a series demolition job – at least as emphatic as the 4-0 hammerings inflicted on England by Australia and India in the last two winters.
Root said: “To be 2-0 up is a great position particularly as the next Test is at Trent Bridge, where we’ve had a lot of success.
“The dream would be to put in five complete performances and have five wins but it’s important we don’t get complacent or arrogant or look too far ahead. This game can bite back.
“We’re playing the No.1 team in the world with some very fine players. We’re going to have to prepare properly for the next match and have a ruthless streak.
“Ben Stokes has been and is a huge part of this squad. It was a miss not having him this week but it created an opportunity for Chris Woakes to perform – and he was outstanding. When you get a chance, make it as hard as possible to leave you out.”
When India began their second innings 289 runs behind, Anderson did not have to wait long to become the first man after Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan to take 100 Tests wickets at a single venue. Murali has done it at three separate grounds.
India opener Murali Vijay inside-edged, Jonny Bairstow gathered the catch and Vijay was out for a pair.
Anderson received lavish praise from South Africa’s Dale Steyn, another master of swing with 421 Test wickets at 22 apiece.
Steyn tweeted: “I love how quick Jimmy is between deliveries. No stares, no words, no fuss. Gets back to his mark, bowls with intent, intelligence and great energy.
Man knows what he wants (wkts) and, most of all, he knows how to get them. Impressive, bro.”
Wicket No.101 came when K.L.Rahul was plumb lbw to the Lancashire swing bowler.
Ajinkya Rahane pushed at a widish ball from Broad and Keaton Jennings held a smart catch at third slip. Broad was on a roll.
Cheteshwar Pujara had his stumps re-arranged by a beauty and then Kohli was sent on is way.
Kohli was forced to bat at No.5, one place lower than usual, because he had been off the field in the morning with a back spasm.
He appeared significantly inconvenienced and required on-field treatment from the team physio. England bowled more short balls to him than normal to try to test his back.
Then Kohli popped up a catch to Ollie Pope at short leg via his pad.
Aleem Dar judged the ball brushed his glove and, despite Kohli reviewing the decision, the umpire from Pakistan was proved correct.
most read in cricket
From then on, the only debate was whether India would take the match into a fifth day. They didn’t.
Hardik Pandya and Ravi Ashwin managed a seventh-wicket partnership of 55 but, once Pandya was lbw on review for 26, the end came quickly, by which time Anderson had taken his career haul to 553 wickets.
Even though England had a 250-run overnight lead and the forecast was unpromising, Root decided to bat on in the morning.
Man of the match Chris Woakes extended his maiden Test century to 137 not out while Sam Curran scored 40 before slashing a catch to third man, when Root declared.