James Anderson passed fit but rain and India batsmen frustrate push for wickets
The tourists reached 46 without loss at lunch on day one of the second test.
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Your support makes all the difference.James Anderson defied expectations to lead England’s attack in the second LV= Insurance Test against India but careful batting and rain at Lord’s saw the tourists reach 46 without loss at lunch.
With Stuart Broad out for the series with a torn calf, Anderson emerged as a second major injury doubt after reporting a tight quad on the eve of the match.
But scans showed nothing to worry about and he was thrust straight into action after captain Joe Root won the toss and opted to bowl first.
That decision was surely influenced by the dark clouds which saw the start of play delayed by half-an-hour and later brought a premature end to the morning session, but there was precious little for the seamers to work with.
Rohit Sharma was proving to be a typically tough opponent, establishing his innings with a period of intense concentration and then opening up with a flurry of five boundaries in seven balls from Sam Curran.
The left-armer could not match the control of Anderson and Ollie Robinson, who were going at little more than one an over, with his five-over burst going for 28 as Rohit unleashed on his way to 35 not out.
KL Rahul continued in circumspect manner, making 10no off 46 balls, offering no real errors as he safely negotiated the 18.4 overs which were possible before the interval.
England made three changes to the side which had drawn a rain-ruined series opener at Trent Bridge last week, with Mark Wood replacing Broad, Moeen Ali recalled in place of Dan Lawrence and Haseeb Hameed returning at number three after Zak Crawley’s dropping.
It is almost five years since Hameed’s previous appearance as a teenager in India, since when he has suffered injury problems, a drastic collapse in form and a slow rebuild of confidence following a move to Nottinghamshire.