Ashwin stars as England end first innings at 255 (Innings Report)

Visakhapatnam, Nov 19 (IANS) Star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin notched up a five-wicket haul as England were bowled out for 255 in their first innings on the third day of the second cricket Test against India here on Saturday.

The Indians have thus taken a 200-run lead.

Ben Stokes top scored for the visitors with 70 while Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root also notched up half-centuries with identical scores of 53.

Ashwin ripped through the England batting line up to return figures of 5/67. Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav bagged a wicket each.

Resuming at the overnight score of 103/5, Bairstow and Stoke survived the occassional scare to complete a 110-run partnership.

Star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin caused plenty of trouble for the English duo on a pitch which does not have too much grass.

Stokes and Bairstow however, batted steadily to help the visitors reach a respectable total.

Umesh however, restored the morale within the Indian camp a couple of overs before lunch with a full length delivery that beat Bairstow with its pace and clipped the pads before sending the middle stump for a walk.

Bairstow scored 53 runs off 152 balls with five hits to the fence.

Ashwin trapped Stokes leg before shortly after the lunch break to hand the hosts a vital breakthrough.

Stokes 157-ball stay in the middle included 11 boundaries.

His departure saw England's first innings come to a rapid close as Ashwin and Jadeja removed the last three wickets in the space of just 30 runs.

Brief scores:

England (first innings): 191/6 (Ben Stokes 70, Jonny Bairstow 53, Joe Root 53; Ravichandran Ashwin 5-67) vs India 455.

--IANS

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