From the iSport Cricket Pavilion: A fighting innings of 146* from Rahul Dravid wasn't enough for the visitors to the save the follow on as the home side bowled out India for 300 in the first innings and reduced them to 129 for 3 in the second innings, with the home side still trailing by 162 runs with seven wickets remaining on day four of the fourth test at Kennington Oval, London.
India resumed the day on 103/5, and overnight not out batsmen Rahul Dravid and Dhoni started off cautiously. Dhoni survived a huge leg before shout off Swann in just the second over of the day, he was lucky to survive again two overs later when his flick landed just shot of short- midwicket fielder.
Dhoni was really scratchy to start off with but scored the first boundary of the day via a sweep to backward square leg. Dravid beautifully flicked Broad to the square leg boundary and followed it with a thick-edge boundary over thirdman in the same over. The pair added 42 runs for the sixth wicket before Anderson had Dhoni (17) caught behind off a beautiful outswinger.
Dravid reached 99 with three boundaries and a single off a single over of Swann and reached his 35th century with a couple to third man. It was the second time that Dravid scored three tons in a series in England and he joined Don Bradman in the list of players who have hit three or more centuries in a series twice among overseas batsmen in England.
Mishra looked confident at the wicket as he hit Bresnan for two boundaries in an over and followed it up with a couple of more boundaries off Pietersen. Surprisingly he hit the last ball before lunch for six over long on off Swann as India went into lunch at 218 for 6.
After lunch, a fighting innings of 43 by Mishra was cut short by a brilliant diving catch by Ian Bell at square leg. Mishra had added 87 runs for the seventh wicket with Dravid. Dravid celebrated his 30,000th ball in Test cricket with a boundary through gully.
Gambhir, who suffered concussion following a blow to the head while dropping Kevin Pietersen, looked uncomfortable, but fought it out in the middle giving Dravid the much needed support, surviving 18 overs. The new ball did the trick for England as a Broad bouncer got big on Gambhir, who managed to loop into the hands of Pietersen at gully.
RP Singh played a cameo of 25 from 23 deliveries with five hits to the fence before guiding one straight to third slip off Bresnan. Bresnan wrapped up the innings on 300 in the same over when he had Sreesanth caught at short cover for a duck. Dravid was left stranded on 146 at the non strikers end as England enforced a follow on with India trailing by 291 runs.
Sehwag started off India's 2nd innings in a blistering fashion, hitting Anderson for two boundaries through cover and followed it with another two off Anderson's next over. The opening pair of Dravid and Sehwag successfully played out the 25 minutes before tea as India went into tea on 25/0.
After tea, India suffered a huge blow when Swann had Dravid caught at forward short leg, the umpire gave him not out but England reviewed the decision, the hot spot did not show any signs of an edge but replays showed some deviation when the ball passed the bat and the third umpire gave Dravid out based on the deviation.
Five overs later, India suffered another blow when Swann cleaned up Sehwag (33) with a beautiful offspinner. Tendulkar looked confident at the wicket as he added 54runs for the third wicket with Laxman. Laxman survived two drop chances before finally succumbing to a beauty from Anderson. Anderson cleaned him up with a delivery that straightened after pitching.
Mishra, who was sent in as night watchman, gave good company to Tendulkar as the pair made sure that India did not lose any more wickets, ending day four on 129/3, still trailing by 162 runs with seven wickets remaining. Tendulkar was unbeaten on 35, while Mishra was unbeaten on 8.
At stumps on day 4: England 1st inns: 591/6 dec, India 1st inns: 300/10, India 2nd inns: 129/3
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