Hoggard and Monty Lead England Charge

Matthew Hoggard took five wickets and debutant Monty Panesar added another couple as England wrestled the advantage back on a see-saw third day of the first Test.

Hoggard, so often England’s unsung hero, struck three times in his opening three overs to unhinge the Indian top order and struck again early in the middle session to reduce the home team to 190 for seven.

A 128-run stand for the eighth wicket, spanning almost fours hours, between Mohammad Kaif and Anil Kumble seemed to have put India back on level terms before Stephen Harmison and Panesar struck just before the close to leave India on 322-9. England lead by 71, a decent lead on a drying pitch, but all four results are still possible.

Earlier, India resumed on 136 for one but Hoggard halted a century stand for the second wicket when he removed captain Rahul Dravid with a ball which nipped back viciously to gain a dubious leg-before decision. Then, in his next over, Hoggard claimed two in two balls, a double strike which altered the complexion of the contest.

Opener Wasim Jaffer’s first Test innings for four years, worth 81, came to its conclusion when he was drawn into a drive that flew low to slip where Andrew Flintoff made the catch look easy. Then, just as Dravid had before him, VVS Laxman perished to a delivery that shaped back to hit the pads.

Tendulkar was looking comfortable on 16, until he misjudged a Panesar delivery which clipped the pad in front of off-stump before striking the bat. As umpire Aleem Dar raised his finger, a disbelieving Panesar made a manic dash towards backward point, where he was mobbed by his colleagues.

As one Indian golden boy departed, however, another entered in the form of Dhoni. But the cheers reverberating around the stands had barely subsided when Flintoff enticed a nick to leave India in danger of a large first-innings deficit.

Just three overs into the middle session Irfan Pathan’s dismissal provided Hoggard with a sixth five-wicket haul in Tests, Flintoff snapping up another smart slip catch.

England had taken six wickets for 50 runs at that stage but the rest of the day proved a struggle - until Harmison removed Kumble (58) and Panesar struck with a crackerjack of a delivery that landed on leg and clipped off-stump to dismiss Kaif for 91 with the last ball of the day.

"We went out and tried to put the ball in the right areas," admitted Hoggard afterwards. "We knew it would be hard work but I think all the boys bowled well and we got some reward.

"If you don’t move the ball laterally on these wickets you are cannon fodder but thankfully the ball started to reverse and we made use," he added. "We’ve still got one more wicket to get to see what lead we’ve got and that’s going to be crucial."