Vijay keeps England at bay after Plunkett double

LONDON: Murali Vijay anchored India´s second innings with a painstaking fifty after England threatened to take charge of the second Test at Lord´s on Saturday.

India lost three wickets for five runs in 19 balls to be 123 for four -- just 99 runs in front. But by the close of the third day they were 169 for four -- 145 runs ahead but not yet a decisive lead.

Opening batsman Vijay, in for nearly five hours, was 59 not out and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni unbeaten on 12.

England´s Liam Plunkett had a day to remember, scoring a Test-best 55 not out to help his side into a first-innings lead and then taking two wickets in two balls.

While Vijay was becalmed, fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan struck four fours.But on 31 the left-hander failed to get over the top of a cut off Ben Stokes and was well caught by Joe Root at backward point to leave India 40 for one.

By contrast, it took Vijay 57 balls to both score his first boundary and move into double figures, with a leg-glance off Stuart Broad.England had again too often bowled short on a pitch no longer the ´green top´ on which captain Alastair Cook had sent India into bat after winning the toss. But when Plunkett was rewarded for pitching up from the Nursery End.

First, he drew Pujara forward and had him caught behind off the outside edge to end a second-wicket stand of 78 in nearly 30 overs. Next ball Virat Kohli made the mistake of deliberately leaving a ball which came back up the eight-foot Lord´s slope and was clean bowled for a golden duck. Plunkett though wasted his hat-trick delivery as Ajinkya Rahane left a ball well wide of off stump. (AFP)