England openers rapidly eat into India's lead

MANCHESTER, England :Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley scored at a rapid rate to steer England to 77-0 at tea on day two of the fourth test at Old Trafford, the hosts trailing India by 281 runs on Thursday.

A gutsy half century from the injured Rishabh Pant helped India post 358 in their first innings, with England captain Ben Stokes' first five-wicket test haul in eight years boosting his team's bid to clinch the series.

Pant retired hurt on Wednesday after hurting his foot trying an audacious reverse scoop shot and went to hospital for scans, but received a standing ovation in the morning as he limped on to the field, helping see India through to lunch on 321-6.

Running between the wickets was difficult, but Pant, effectively on one leg, pulled out the big shots in the afternoon, slogging Jofra Archer for six before moving past fifty, his 19th in test cricket, with another boundary.

After Stokes had removed Washington Sundar and debutant Anshul Kamboj, Archer ended Pant's resistance, sending the injured wicketkeeper's off stump flying for a courageous 54.

Duckett continued where Pant left off when England came to the crease in reply, scoring at over a run a ball with all seven of his boundaries coming on the leg side.

He will return unbeaten on 43, ably supported by Crawley on 33, the pair having compiled their opening stand at five and a half runs an over.