By BV Swagath
India crashed to a 266-run defeat in the Third Test at Southampton with just 10 minutes to go for the scheduled lunch break on the final day. The remaining six wickets that India had fell in quick time without much fight. The only man fighting for the tourists was Ajinkya Rahane who scored a superb 4th Test fifty. Rahane remained unbeaten on 52 from 121 balls with 7 fours.
James Anderson who was named as the Man of the Match took two early wickets of Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni with lovely outswingers to trigger the Indian collapse. Moeen Ali took the remaining four wickets to end up with career best of 6-67. Ravindra Jadeja lasted 43 balls for his 15 before he inside edged a drive off a full ball from Moeen onto the stumps.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar who has batted very well in this series was out for a 4-ball duck when he got a bat pad inside edge to slip off Moeen. Shami was bowled on the backfoot by the same bowler while last man Pankaj Singh was cleaned up by a straighter one.
The 5-match Test Series is now leveled 1-1 with the fourth Test to be played at Manchester from August 7.