Indian batsmen dominate on day one
England need to get Sachin Tendulkar out early
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Thursday, 09, Aug 2007 09:22
England face an uphill battle to win the third Test against India and prevent their first home series loss in seven years after the tourists ended the first day on 316-4 at the Oval today.
A watchful Sachin Tendulkar was unbeaten on 48 and will come out tomorrow accompanied by VVS Laxman who is on 20.
The day got off to a bad start for England as captain Michael Vaughan lost the toss and his counterpart Rahul Dravid chose to bat on what looked to be a very good batting pitch.
A lot had been made in the build up to the game about the potential bounce the Oval track would offer, but the England bowlers started woefully, spraying the ball constantly wide of the off-stump.
India's openers Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik rocketed along at almost five runs an over in the first hour of the day - Jaffer in particular taking a liking to James Anderson and hitting four boundaries and a six off the England paceman.
As Jaffer's confidence grew he tried to hit Anderson for another maximum, but this time he mistimed the shot and was caught on the boundary by Kevin Pietersen. India lost their first wicket with the score on 62 and in came Dravid.
England's hopes of making further inroads quickly evaporated as Dravid and Karthik both looked in imperious form and the pair added 127 runs for the second wicket.
Dravid scored his first half-century of the series but was then bowled by a majestic Anderson yorker on 55.
Karthik followed soon afterwards as Ryan Sidebottom had him caught behind on 91, although replays suggested that he had not made any contact with the ball.
England sensed a possible opening, but the experienced duo of Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly steadied things for India, putting on 77. Tendulkar, however, did receive a massive lifeline as Matt Prior dropped him on 20.
Although Ganguly fell to a dubious lbw decision off the bowling of Paul Collingwood for 37, India ended the day in a very strong position.
England's bowlers will have to improve tomorrow and take early wickets or this Test match, and the series, could be over for England after just two days.