The Prague Post - India on top despite Smith and Brook's hundred heroics in 2nd Test

England were in dire straits at 84-5, more than 500 runs behind, when Smith joined forces with Brook in just the second over of the day's play.

They came together after Mohammed Siraj had taken two wickets in two balls, including removing Ben Stokes for the first golden duck of the England captain's Test career.

But England's sixth-wicket duo went on to add 303 runs before Brook fell for 158.

And by the time England were dismissed for 407, Smith had surpassed Surrey mentor Alec Stewart's previous highest Test score by an England wicketkeeper of 173 against New Zealand at Auckland in 1997.

But the new ball proved England's undoing for the second time in the match as they lost their last five wickets for 20 runs.

Siraj (6-70) and fellow paceman Akash Deep (4-88), in for the rested Jasprit Bumrah, did the damage between them in an England innings featuring six ducks.

India, looking to level the series after last week's five-wicket loss in the first Test at Headingley, led by 180 runs on first innings, with captain Shubman Gill's superb 269 the cornerstone of their 587 all out.

And they had extended that advantage to 244 runs at the close, with India 64-1 in their second innings after gifted left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal, whose 28 featured six fours, was lbw to fast bowler Josh Tongue.

A rueful Brook told Sky Sports: "Up until I got out I felt like we were almost clawing it back, but our tail had a collapse, as we saw with them (India)."

Smith's hundred was just the second of his 12-Test career following the 24-year-old's 111 against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford last year and Brook forecast a glittering future for his team-mate.

- 'Phenomenal' -

"It was good to spend some time out there with Smudge (Smith), he's got a long career ahead with England and he's a phenomenal player," said Brook.

England resumed on 77-3, with Joe Root and Brook -- the world's two top-ranked Test batsmen -- 18 not out and 30 not out.

But Root soon glanced fast bowler Siraj to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

Next ball, Stokes was undone by a superb rising delivery from Siraj that he edged behind, reducing England to 84-5.

Smith, however, survived the hat-trick by straight-driving Siraj for four.

It was the start of a blistering 80-ball hundred that included 14 fours and three sixes as Smith joined a select group of batsmen to have made 100 runs before lunch in a session of Test cricket.

India had rested Bumrah, the world's number one ranked Test bowler, in order to protect the fast bowler's fitness in a series where he is expected to feature in just three out of five matches.

But in his absence, Smith smashed 22 runs in a single over from paceman Prasidh Krishna, including a six and four fours.

Smith, showing no obvious ill effects from the strain of keeping wicket for 151 overs struck consecutive fours off experienced left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja in the last over before lunch to complete an astounding century.

Brook, 91 not out at the interval went to a hundred after giving his wicket away on 99 in the first Test and went on to exceed 150 for the fifth time in his nine hundreds at this level.

But Deep eventually broke through with the new ball by bowling Brook with a fine delivery that darted back off the seam.

Deep also removed Chris Woakes for five on the Warwickshire all-rounder's home ground.

He had previously reduced England to 13-2 by dismissing Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks.

Smith smashed Deep for six over long-on to raise England's 400 but Siraj cleaned up the tail as Brydon Carse, Tongue and Shoaib Bashir failed to manage a run between them.

M.Jelinek--TPP