Murali Vijay holds fort for India against England

LONDON: The loss of two wickets in successive balls, followed by another caused by an umpiring howler ­- all in space of 19 balls in the final session ­- left India struggling on 169/4 at close on Day 3 of the Lord's Test on Saturday.
Having conceded a slender 24-run first innings lead to England, India are effectively 145 ahead with 6 wickets and two days remaining.
Plunkett, who had earlier struck an unbeaten 55 off 79 balls to help England overhaul India's first innings tally of 295, started it all with a brilliant fifth over ­ the 44th of the innings.
He first induced an edge from a well-set Cheteshwar Pujara to Matt Prior behind the stumps before castling an out-of-form Virat Kohli with his next. Kohli, who had no idea where his off-stump was, shouldered arms only to see the ball dart in off the seam and clip the bails.
Ajinkya Rahane, who had his name inscribed on the Lord's Honours Board after making a superb hundred in the first innings, didn't have to do much to deny Plunkett a hat-trick but was mortified to see umpire Bruce Oxenford's finger go up after Prior had shown remarkable reflexes to hold a splendid diving catch when a short ball from Stuart Broad struck him on his arm guard and ballooned up at short square leg.
Rahane left shaking his head at 123/4, leaving the stoic Murali Vijay and a panic-stricken MS Dhoni to negotiate more than 25 overs remaining in the day.
Dhoni battled hard for 71 minutes during which he survived several close shouts for LBW and took blows on his body, but more importantly, remained unbeaten on 12 in the company of Vijay to keep India in the game.
However, but for Vijay holding firm at one end for well over four hours, it would have been curtains for India. Much would depend on how many the right-handed opener manages to add to his unbeaten 59 on Sunday if India are to challenge England on a fast-wearing Lord's pitch.
Earlier, Dhoni's boys allowed England's last four wickets to add exactly 100 runs to their overnight tally of 219 mainly because the pacers not only wasted the second new ball, but also conceded too many runs to Matt Prior and Liam Plunkett, who were out to redeem themselves for their well-below-par show with the gloves and ball, respectively.
Luckily for India, Mohammad Shami provided the initial breakthrough. Prior got a top edge while trying to pull a short one and the ball ballooned up behind the slip cordon. Dhawan had to run back a few yards, keeping his eyes on the ball, to pull off a fine catch.
England soon lost two more wickets as Bhuvneshwar picked up his fifth and sixth wickets in the form of Stokes and Broad. England were still 15 runs behind India's 295 when Anderson joined Plunkett.
The duo added 39 priceless runs for the final wicket before Ravindra Jadeja, who had allegedly been at the receiving end of his spat with Anderson at Trent Bridge, had his tormentor caught at backward short leg off an intended reverse sweep.