refWrite backpage: Sports: Cricket today: England in India, looks like India ahead in 2nd of 3 rounds

I've decided I've got it all wrong in my headline, not India, but England leads, "dominant on the subcontinent" as one chap puts it (below). I'm not sure I'll ever understand the scoring system in cricket.

-- Sportikos, refWrite Backpage sports newspotter, analyst, columnist

BBC Sports (Dec6,2k12)

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As it happened

In Summary

Close: England 216-1 in reply to India's 316
Cook hits record 23rd England Test century
Cook 136 not out at stumps
Captain youngest ever to 7,000 Test runs
Compton lbw for 57; Trott 21 not out
India all out for 316 (273-7 overnight)
Panesar takes 4-90 and Anderson 3-89

Reporting by

Stephan Shemilt, BBC Sport

1050:

And, as Sir Geoff prepares for tomorrow, so too will
we. Before now and the early hours of Friday morning,
gorge yourself on Sam Sheringham's match report and
keep any eye out for the TMS podcast and Jonathan
Agnew's column. Rest easy, a big day ahead. Until
then...
Geoffrey Boycott, BBC Test Match Special

"Compton in his third match is much more defensive,
much more careful than Cook. You can't expect him to
play like a seasoned performer so early in his career.
The fact is England were doing well, you shouldn't be in
competition with your team-mates because you're
working for your team, so from that point of view it was
successful, but then he went for a shot which he didn't
need to do.

"In terms of India, it's hard when the captain's not moving
things around and trying to change things, when you've
got a poor standard of athletes it's even harder. You go
round them and think where are the quick bowlers to
change things?

"Even if it doesn't turn too much, the scoreboard pressure
will tell on India and I have no doubt England will continue
tomorrow as they did today."
Read more... click on the time stamp below ...

Nick Dear on Twitter: "Is it worth mentioning that, going
into this Test, Cook has a 75% win record as captain?
Good Omen?"
1046:

Lots and lots to come on the BBC Sport website today, so I'll start my plugfest nice and early. You can already relive the moment Alastair Cook went to his 23rd Test hundred and listen again to James Anderson on his involvement in a film on Maasai cricketers.
Geoffrey Boycott, BBC Test Match Special

"That was a special day for Alastair. I thought he played very similar to the other innings, but in fact he's played a little more fluently and better. He's actually got these spinners in his pocket, the great side to him is the fact that he doesn't allow any bowler to get himself out of his comfort zone which is the perfect way for an opening batsman to be. Today he started to express himself a little earlier, with a low slow pitch and fast outfield he played beautifully. I haven't seen at any time that this lot look like they will get him out."
Albion Roar on Twitter: "Raise a glass to Alastair Cook. 23rd Test Match ton (Eng record) and youngest cricketer to reach 7,000 runs. Marvellous scenes."
1040:

Sir Geoff mentioned earlier that he thought England could have a lead of 100 by tea tomorrow. At this rate, surely they could be further on than that? Let's not get ahead ourselves, though. We have an obligation to pull out the classic "first session tomorrow is crucial" mantra.
Jack Mills on Twitter: "Is Cook's record undermined by the fact that cricketers today play more games than their predecessors?"

Perhaps, but Cook has played fewer Tests than Boycott, Cowdrey and Pietersen and only one more than Hammond.
From Chris in Warrington, via text on 81111: "We have seen it before. England get themselves in a good position then the next day the undo all the hard work! Cookie needs to show them the way tomorrow morning! Need start like its day one."
Sahil Oberoi on Twitter: "If India actually bothered using DRS or holding on to catches, Cook wouldn't have made a single century on this tour."
1033:

CLOSE OF PLAY

Graham Gooch is on the boundary's edge to shake hands with his boy Cook the moment the England skip crosses the rope. All of the England team are on their feet as Cook and Trott enter the dressing room, with high fives and fist pumps all round. Only 100 behind with nine wickets in hand, the tourists look to be holding all the aces.
Geoffrey Boycott, BBC Test Match Special

"I am not seeing anything here that says to me the Indian bowlers can knock off nine wickets tomorrow, from the first Test match India have fallen in to the trap of believing they were better. They have never looked at themselves, their own batting, their own bowling - they just looked at England. They thought England made them look world-beaters but I thought this isn't a great Indian team, I haven't seen anything to worry about."
1030:

Eng 216-1

Both sides might want this to be the last over of the day. It's Zaheer to Cook, who jabs into the off side to bring up the 50 partnership. A couple of slips converge for Trott as "we are the Army" can be heard from the Barmy Army. TV pictures show Steven Finn padded up ready to be England's nightwatchman, but it seems unlikely that he'll be needed. Trott takes one to third man, then, fittingly, Cook pushes back the final ball to end his record-breaking day.
Daniel Nixon on Twitter: "What makes Cooks achievements so special is that he's an opening batsman, that many runs against the new ball is incredible"

Terry Mahoney on Twitter: "Let's not get too myopic re Cook. Michael Clarke, bit older but two recent double tons, 21 centuries in all, test average 52."

Yusuf Mahamed on Twitter: "Where was Cook against Steyn, Morkel and Philander earlier this year? He wouldn't make SA's top six."
Malc, via text on 81111: "Tresco born 25/12, replaced by Cook born 25/12... replaced by my 11 year old son born 25/12. I've been telling him, it is his destiny for last few years..."
1024:

Eng 214-1

We've had a few mentions of the fact that Kevin Pietersen could match Cook's 23rd Test hundred tomorrow, which is quite right. Would we then be talking about which of KP or Cook is England's best ever? More pace from India as Ishant Sharma serves up a bumper to Trott, but the pitch is so slow it bounces twice on the way through to Dhoni.
Geoffrey Boycott, BBC Test Match Special

"Batsman put you in a position to win, bowlers will win you matches but if batsmen don't bat well you will lose the game. When you play cricket your bowlers can have a poor session and come back because they only need one ball, but batsmen can have a bad session and lose the game. You can put yourself under immense pressure to chase the game, let alone win it."
1015:

Eng 214-1

India are in no hurry to bowl their final three overs, turning to the left-arm seam of Zaheer Khan. One that ducks into the left-handed Cook is squirted through square leg for a single, with Trott then moving across his stumps to work to fine leg for one more. Trott is up to 20, the partnership is 49, as Cook signals to the dressing room for a drink.
Matthew Cobb on Twitter: "Jingle bells, jingle bells. Jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to see England dominate in the sub-continent."