11 August,2014 08:32 AM IST | | Agencies
England captain emphasises that it's not often that a team loses nine wickets in a single session as MS Dhoni & Co did on Day Three of the Manchester Test
Masters in manchester: England captain Alastair Cook (right) and teammate James Anderson celebrate after beating India by an innings and 54 runs to win the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday. Pic/AFP
Manchester: England skipper Alastair Cook expressed surprise at India's abject surrender in the fourth cricket Test, which allowed the hosts to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Masters in manchester: England captain Alastair Cook (right) and teammate James Anderson celebrate after beating India by an innings and 54 runs to win the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday. Pic/AFP
After taking a 215-run lead, England dismissed India for just 161 runs in the post-tea session on Day 3 to inflict an embarrassing an innings and 54 runs defeat on the visitors at Old Trafford on Saturday.
"You don't often get nine wickets in one session," said Cook smiling.
Top planning
"At tea, we planned to get them six down at stumps. It was a question of sticking it out as a team because we were one bowler short when we came out. And then we got on a roll straight after and picked up those wickets.
"We were looking at bowling with three bowlers only. It was a great effort from Jimmy (Anderson). It was a matter of building the pressure and we thought it would be a good job if we didn't have to see Stuart Broad again tonight," he added.
It has been a major turnaround for England, who hadn't won a single Test in 10 matches until the 266-run win in the third Test. They have truly put those losses, especially the 95-run defeat in the second Test at Lord's, behind them.
