Stuart Broad Puts England in Charge Against India at Old Trafford

Stuart Broad helped England take a firm grip of the fourth Test against India with figures of 6-25 to help bowl the tourists out for just 152 on day one at Old Trafford.

Six Indian batsman made ducks - only the fourth time in Test history so many players have failed to score in a single innings - as Broad and James Anderson (3-46) ripped through a batting line which continues to flatter to deceive.

Captain MS Dhoni (71) providing the only real resistance as India struggled to cope with the conditions throughout.

Though Sam Robson (6) and skipper Alastair Cook (17) were dismissed cheaply after tea, Gary Balance (37) and Ian Bell (45 not out) put on 77 for the third wicket stand before the latter was given out lbw off Varun Aaron just before the close.

Following a week dominated by the hearing surrounding the incident between Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja in the first Test at Trent Bridge – which saw players both cleared – it was England who landed all the blows on the opening morning in Manchester.

Having levelled the series in empathic fashion at the Ageas Bowl, Cook's team reduced India to 8 for 4 with a devastating spell of swing bowling despite losing the toss and being put into the field following a delayed start.

Four wickets fell in 13 deliveries as first Broad seduced the returning Gautam Gambhir (4) into edging to gully, before Anderson found a nick from Murali Vijay (0) which flew straight to Cook at first slip.

Anderson struck for a second time in the over to get Kohli (0) with an identical delivery and as the swinging conditions continued to prove fruitful Broad struck for a second time as Cheteshwar Pujara (0) edged to Chris Jordan.

Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane (24) helped stem the flow before Jordan picked up the latter and then Anderson trapped Jadeja (0) lbw with a classic inswinger.

Ravichandran Ashwin (40) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0) quickly followed before Dhoni holed out off Broad and Pankaj Singh was dismissed for another India duck.

In response, England lost Robson after the opener left a straight delivery from Kumar and when Cook pulled straight to Pankaj at backward square, India sensed a way back into the match.

Batting conditions continued to improve and Ballance and Bell guided England to the brink of the close, before Aaron got the former lbw to leave the hosts just 39 runs behind with seven wickets intact.