England vs India 4th Test Day 3: Buttler leads the way as England forge 233-run lead

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Jos Buttler 69 England India 4th Test Day 3 Southampton cricket

Jos Buttler raises his bat after scoring his ninth Test fifty

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

England wicketkeeper-batman Jos Buttler continued his run of fine form as he scored a crucial 69 to give his side a 233-run lead over India on the third day in Southampton.

Starting off the day on 6/0, England added 18 runs to their overnight score before opener Alastair Cook was caught by Lokesh Rahul in the slip cordon off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah for 12 runs.

Moeen Ali was promoted up the order, but it didn’t pay dividends as he was dismissed by Ishant Sharma for nine runs.

Keaton Jennings and England captain Joe Root stabilised the innings with a 59-run partnership before Jennings was trapped lbw off the bowling of Mohammed Shami for 36 right before the lunch break.

Jennings opted to review the decision, but replays showed that the ball was pitching in line and hitting leg stump.

Jonny Bairstow was dismissed the first ball after lunch, which gave Shami two wickets in consecutive deliveries, as he was clean bowled for a golden duck.

Root went on to make 48 before he was run out by Shami.

Buttler and Ben Stokes halted India’s charge with a 56-run partnership before Stokes was caught by Ajinkya Rahane at slip off the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin for 30.

Buttler and Sam Curran kept the runs flowing with a 55-run stand, during which Buttler surpassed his half-century.

Buttler ended up making 69 off 122 balls, which included seven boundaries, before he was given out lbw off the bowling of Ishant.

Despite calling for a review, Buttler had to trudge back to the pavilion as replays showed that the ball was pitching in line and clipping the top of leg stump.

Curran and Adil Rashid managed to add 27 runs to the score before Rashid was caught behind off the bowling of Shami for 11 in the last over of the day.

As soon as Rashid was dismissed, stumps was called.

Curran remained unbeaten on 37, which came off 67 balls and included five boundaries.

Shami was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Ishant took two, and Ashwin and Bumrah claimed one wicket each.

England ended day three on 260/8 and will continue batting on Sunday at 11:00 local time or 10:00 GMT.

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