Cook falls as Mohali Test heads for a draw (Tea Report)

Mohali (Punjab), Dec 23 (IANS) England opener Alastair Cook (10) departed early as the visitors were 31 for one in the second innings at tea, chasing a victory target of 403 against India on the final day of the second cricket Test here Tuesday.

Andrew Strauss (6) and Ian Bell (8) were the not out batsmen as the match was inching towards a draw. India declared their second innings at 251 for seven early in the day as dense fog played spoil sport once again, robbing two and half hours of the game.

After the delayed start at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium, Gautam Gambhir (97) and Yuvraj Singh (86) scored briskly and stitched a 153-run stand for the fourth wicket to carry India to a formidable position after a shaky start.

At resumption of their overnight score of 134 for four, Gambhir and Yuvraj made their intentions clear by going on the offensive. Graeme Swann particularly came in for a harsh treatment in the fifth over of the day when he was smacked for 12 runs.

Yuvraj pounced over Stuart Broad in the eleventh over of the day and brought alive the images of his Durban feat of six sixes. He hit the 22-year-old bowler for two sixes on consecutive deliveries, his first one hit at the mid-on and the next at the backward point.

Yuvraj was first to go in the second session, run out by a direct hit from Bell. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who followed in next, returned without opening his account.

Gambhir again became the victim of nervous nineties and was caught superbly by Bell at backward point off Swann.