England's Cook puts up double century in India test

Alastair Cook, right, had another huge day at bat for England in their India test match. (Tim Hales/Associated Press)Alastair Cook hit a measured 266 not out for his highest test score as England reached 646-6 at tea Friday on the third day of the third match to lead India by 422 runs at Edgbaston. Cook faced 518 balls and hit 29 fours <a href="http://www.trading666.com/others-brand-cigarettes-f2-66.html"><strong>wholesale marlboro red cigarettes from china </strong></a> in scoring his second test double-century -- at one stage he went 4 hours, 12 minutes without scoring a boundary. Eoin Morgan was out for 104, from 199 balls with 11 fours, in an extended afternoon session in the third test, during which 16 minutes were lost to bad light after a floodlight failure. Amit Mishra took 3-150 for India as England lost quick wickets while trying to accelerate the run rate, but the tourists again contributed to their downfall by bowling a total of 61 extras. England began the day on 456-2, leading by 232, <a href="http://www.trading666.com/others-t1-29.html"><strong>wholesale cheap newport cigarettes outlet</strong></a> a position so dominant that the main interest in a session largely devoid of tension lay in seeing how many landmarks the hosts would pass. Morgan reached 50 from 73 balls with a single from Praveen Kumar before rain caused a brief delay. When play resumed, a single to Cook from Ishant Sharma brought up England's ninth century stand of the series. India has just one. Cook reached his 200 from 378 balls with a glance through square leg of Sreesanth for two, then took England to 500 with a single from Sreesanth to point, leaving the hosts on 503-3 when an early lunch was called due to rain. Scoring was slow after lunch, with the ball showing signs of both reverse swing and turn, but the session briefly degenerated into a farce after an hour. An electrical failure had cut the power in the 32 million pound New Stand at lunch, but when this was restored the floodlights failed. When the natural light deteriorated, the umpires took the teams off on the contentious grounds that Sharma, who was about to bowl, represented a danger to the batsmen. While the crowd booed and started <a href="http://www.trading666.com/T-shirt-polo-men-t-shirt-f2-61-c3-89.html"><strong>buy cheap polo t-shirt online </strong></a> a slow handcap, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and batsman VVS Laxman both wore broad smiles as they walked to the dressing room. After a delay, during which the floodlights flickered and went off again and the natural light showed no discernible improvement, the players returned. Neither batsman had any trouble picking up the ball. Cook passed his previous highest score of 235 with three off Amit Mishra, although Morgan was nearly caught on 95 when he pulled Mishra to short leg and hit Gautam Gambhir in the back. The ball looped into the air, but a bruised Gambhir was unable to react in time and Morgan completed his second test century, from 188 balls, with a single through square leg from Mishra. Morgan finally fell <a href="http://436100.info/view.php?id=674"><strong>Leak at North Sea oil platform being 'managed,' Shell says</strong></a> to Raina, caught by Virender Sehwag at cover, only for Ravi Bopara to come in and take England past 600. Bopara was lbw to Mishra for 7, and though Cook passed his next landmark — 250, from 486 balls — Prior fell for 5, caught by Sachin Tendulkar off Mishra at backward point. Tim Bresnan then joined Cook and was unbeaten on 19 at tea, leaving England to ponder a declaration.