England v India: Alastair Cook fails again after hosts' attack toils

England captain Alastair Cook's batting woes continued as India took control of the first Test with a record last-wicket partnership.
The opener was bowled off his thigh pad for five as England closed on 43-1 in reply to India's 457 at Trent Bridge.
On a day of fluctuating fortunes, the hosts had hurtled back into contention with four wickets for two runs after lunch to reduce India to 346-9 following Murali Vijay's 146.
But an extraordinary stand of 111 between number nine Bhuvneshwar Kumar and number 11 Mohammed Shami, who both scored their maiden Test fifties, sapped England's spirit and put the tourists firmly back in charge.
Having watched the unlikely duo punish his tiring attack for two-and-a-half hours, Cook walked to the crease desperate to end a run of 24 innings without a century.
However, in a moment typical of his recent cruel luck, he missed a ball from Shami down the leg side and watched in horror as it deflected off his thigh pad and down on to the stumps.
Cook, whose team have lost six of their last seven Tests, has now scored only 606 runs in his last 13 Tests at an average of 24.24.

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