Jamie Smith hit an 80-ball century as he and Harry Brook launched a fearless counter-attack on the third morning of England’s second Rothesay Test against India.
The hosts were plunged into dire trouble at Edgbaston when Mohammed Siraj removed Joe Root and Ben Stokes with consecutive deliveries, the skipper dismissed for a golden duck by a brute of a ball.
That left them rocking at 84 for five, a meek response to India’s 587, but Brook and Smith threw caution to the wind in remarkable fashion to change the game.
An explosive stand of 165 from just 25 overs followed, powering England to 249 for five at lunch and taking the wind out of the tourists’ sails.
Smith, who came to the crease with Siraj hunting a hat-trick and promptly dispatched his first ball for four, was irresistible as he soared to 102 not out at the interval. His whirlwind ton, just his second in Tests, contained 14 fours and three sixes and goes down as the joint third fastest by an England batter.
He shares that spot with Brook, who was unbeaten on 91 from 127 balls and became the quickest ever player to reach 2,500 Test runs having ticked off the landmark in 2,382 deliveries.
India, who threatened to run away with things when Siraj dispatched England’s current and former captains in the second over of the day, somehow found themselves on the back foot as they headed to the pavilion despite carrying a lead of 338.
That gives them plenty of scope to reassert themselves but with England smashing a decadent 172 runs in the session, that leeway will thin out quickly if Smith and Brook are not brought to heel.