Strauss Calls the Tune As England Turn the Screw

A redoubtable century stand between Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood, so far worth 129 for the fourth wicket, bolstered England's hopes of a famous victory in the politically-charged Chennai Test.

At the close of the third day, England led by 247 with seven wickets remaining. Even the most optimistic Indian observer has not predicted with any confidence that they could chase 300. Only once on this ground has a side made more than 300 in the fourth innings – the tied Test of 1986 when India made 347 to share the spoils with Australia.

As Strauss and Collingwood quietly took command in a partnership of 40 overs, there was no extravagant turn for Harbhajan Singh, no reverse swing for Zaheer. India dawdled as their hopes sunk. Even with an extra half-hour only 81 overs were bowled in the day, nine short of the supposed minimum.

Strauss, again judiciously making the bowlers bowl to him, and foregoing anything wide on the offside, finished the day 27 runs short of becoming the first England batsman to score two hundreds in a Test since Marcus Trescothick against the West Indies at Edgbaston four years ago.

Collingwood, who now has a hundred and two fifties in his last three Tests, has now surely quietened talk that he might be dropped. He is at his best with a goal in mind and when he walked in with England precariously placed at 43-3 he had just that.

The sight of Yuvraj Singh wiggling his hands above his ears to make "bunny'' signals at Kevin Pietersen as he spotted him on the stadium's big screen, morosely reflecting on his dismissal, represented the low point of England's second innings: three wickets down by the 14th over.

Pietersen had fallen to Yuvraj's modest left-arm slows in the second ODI in Indore, bowled through the gate by one that turned slightly. This time the ball, again delivered from a wide angle, was unerringly straight and rapped Pietersen on the pad. England's captain knew he had been suckered. It was only later that the disbelief began to sink in.

Exhausted England captains are nothing new. At the end of a stressful fortnight, where he impressed in the way that he held his squad together, he has made 4 and 1 in Chennai. It is to hoped that it is merely coincidence, or at least only temporary.

Ishant Sharma, again troubled by overstepping, found his bearings to remove Alastair Cook to a routine edge to the keeper, whilst Ian Bell failed to combat a leaping top-spinner from Amit Mishra, which flew off the glove to short leg

Had India, still 161 runs behind at start of play with four wickets remaining, succumbed in the first hour then it would have felt terminal. But England had problems to counter and did not complete the job until four balls after lunch, by which time India had added another 86. England took their lead of 75 with relief.

Andrew Flintoff, although as stout-hearted as ever, had to leave the field to have his ankle strapped, the ankle that has already had four operations and was causing him some discomfort again. Steve Harmison was complaining of soreness in his lower hamstring and England immediately had him scanned for assurance that there was nothing untoward.

Such injury doubts could not have arisen at a more unfortunate time and England failed to recapture the momentum of the second day when six Indian wickets fell for 155. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh extended their seventh-wicket stand to 75 in 17 overs, Dhoni remaining watchful whilst Harbhajan carried the fight with a cornucopia of fortunate blows. Harbhajan, a spinner himself, tries to treat opposition spinners with disdain an outrageous reverse sweep against Mopnty Panesar drawing a bemused expression from the bowler.

Panesar finally broke through when Ian Bell caught Harbhajan, bat and pad, at short leg. He should have added Zaheer from the next, an lbw decision that Hawkeye predicted would have hit middle half way up, but umpire Billy Bowden, who has not had a good match, refused his appeal. But England now sensed an opportunity and Flintoff returned to trap Zaheer on the back foot.

Dhoni, who was troubled by a twisted ankle, felt obliged to attack Panesar with eight down, but his lofted blow fell to Pietersen at deep mid-off. Panesar's mood visibly lightened and he will need to remain in good heart if England are to force victory. India's innings ended to the fourth ball after lunch when Flintoff left Mishra's stumps splayed.