— Photo: S. Subramanium

RELIABLE AS EVER: On a day when many catches were dropped, Rahul Dravid did not fail to accept this offering from James Anderson off Anil Kumble.

Mumbai: If the Englishmen possessed the will to win, they certainly did a good job of hiding it. Stripped to the bone by a spate of departures, and handed a rare shot at series-levelling salvation when Indian captain Rahul Dravid's decision to bowl went wrong, the visitors — through some industrious batting first up and excellent implementation of well-laid bowling plans — had played themselves into a position of considerable strength.

But, ahead by 152 at the start of the fourth day and with eight wickets still intact, England inexplicably dawdled; seldom has `safety first' found so dedicated a champion. Fifty-four runs trickled in the first session, another 53 dripped in the second — 107 in all from 55 overs. Granted India bowled tight, restrictive lines; granted Dravid set good fields and the ground fielding — not the catching mind you — was very good.

Tilt towards England

The risk of such a gameplan backfiring, however, was high, and England was bowled out for 191, leaving India 313 from a little over three sessions for a win. But, Irfan Pathan — partnering Wasim Jaffer in place of Virender Sehwag who spent time off the field with back spasms and was hence ineligible to open — edged a full-toss on to off peg to leave the match tilted a tad towards England, with all four results, in theory at least, still possible.

India finished on 18 for one at close — a minimum of 90 overs await it on what could pan out to be a day of considerable drama, a day of reckoning for one side. India has before it the formidable task of making the tallest score of this match in the fourth innings, the highest successful chase at the Wankhede (previous: 164, South Africa, 1999-2000) and the highest ever chase in India (previous: 276, the West Indies, 1987).

Nebulous mix

In matches like these, the smallest of factors can often have hitherto unsuspected and rather large ramifications: the duration of night-watchman Anil Kumble's stay and the fact that Virender Sehwag can bat no higher than seven on Wednesday will add to that nebulous mix. The first hour will be crucial but not necessarily all determining. The attitude India's batsmen adopt will be interesting — against Pakistan at Bangalore in 2004, they had crept into a fatal shell of defence.

A suspenseful day five will doubtless unfold; day four, more by accident than design, has ensured as much. Through the day, it looked like England and not India was chasing the game. Neither Munaf nor Sreesanth blasted through early and the overnight pair seemed content to potter along. Night-watchman Shaun Udal left after 14 overs, edging a floaty Pathan delivery that started off a little wide and hinted away. Only 30 runs had been added, and it was thought Udal's exit would hasten matters. For wasn't it Kevin Pietersen walking in? But just as KP began to look as if some fun and games were in the offing, Anil Kumble terminated his stay.

The champion leg-spinner, bowling around the sticks, produced one that stopped on the South African-born and leapt spectacularly across to take left-handed the mis-hit on-drive borne off a leading edge and a bat turn in the gloves. Paul Collingwood didn't quite take the game by the scruff, and when he sold Owais Shah a dummy, playing to off and taking off only for Tendulkar to move smartly to his left and leave Dhoni little to do, England had slipped into a morass of its making at 85 for five.

Reprieve

It could have become worse. But Andrew Flintoff, reprieved at silly-point before scoring off Kumble and let off by Dhoni when he unsuccessfully charged at a Harbhajan doosra, put a skipper's head down to cobble together 66 from 31.4 overs with Collingwood. The odd stroke of magnificence still showed itself — like the stunning straight drive with seemingly no wind-up and follow through — but restraint and fortune were the master threads of this knock (50, 146b, 6x4, 1x6).

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh again got some deliveries to rear up, but he's been short of wickets, the three-for in the first innings notwithstanding. He got Collingwood — his two step beaten by dip — to pop one back and went horizontal to his left for the catch of the day. Harbhajan added another, while Kumble — who wheeled in with purpose all day — finished with four.

SCOREBOARD

England — 1st innings: 400.

India — 1st innings: 279.

England — 2nd innings: A. Strauss c Dhoni b Munaf 4, I. Bell c Dhoni b Sreesanth 8, O. Shah (run out) 38, S. Udal c Jaffer b Pathan 14, K. Pietersen c & b Kumble 7, P. Collingwood c & b Harbhajan 32, A. Flintoff st. Dhoni b Kumble 50, G. Jones c Pathan b Harbhajan 3, M. Hoggard lbw b Kumble 6, J. Anderson c Dravid b Kumble 6, M. Panesar (not out) 0; Extras (lb-9, nb-10, w-4) 23, Total (in 92.4 overs) 191.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-21, 3-61, 4-73, 5-85, 6-151, 7-157, 8-183, 9-188.

India bowling: Pathan 13-2-24-1, Munaf 13-3-39-1, Sreesanth 13-3-30-1, Kumble 30.4-13-49-4, Harbhajan 23-9-40-2.

India — 2nd innings: W. Jaffer (batting) 4, I. Pathan b Anderson 6, A. Kumble (batting) 8. Total (for one wkt. in eight overs) 18.

Fall of wicket: 1-6 (Pathan).

England bowling: Hoggard 4-1-7-0, Anderson 3-1-9-1, Panesar 1-0-2-0.

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