India seal convincing win

Resuming on 10 without loss and needing another 63 runs to secure only their fifth win in 47 matches on English soil, the tourists spluttered a little against the hostility of Chris Tremlett, who not only dismissed openers Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik but also captured the wicket of the great Sachin Tendulkar.

Mildly shaken but certainly not stirred, old campaigners Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly guided their team past the finishing post before lunch.

India took 95 minutes this morning to complete a job which they began so well with the ball on Friday afternoon. England now require a victory in next week's npower Third Test at The Oval to extend an unbeaten run in home series stretching back to 2001.

Despite several brilliant individual performances here, with Zaheer Khan's man-of-the-match haul of nine for 134 and Vaughan's 124 the leading examples, this Test will be remembered mainly for bad blood... and jelly beans.

With International Cricket Council referee Ranjan Madugalle deciding not take further action, only Indian pace bowler Shantha Sreesanth will leave Nottingham with a stain on his record. Sreesanth was last night fined 50 per cent of his match fee for shoulder barging Vaughan.

But several other players could, and probably should, have been called to Madugalle's office during a Test which threatened to boil over more than once.

And then there was the jelly bean incident which so angered Zaheer on Sunday. "I felt it was insulting," he said after sweets were thrown in his direction by an England player, believed to be Alastair Cook, and ultimately inspired him to take five wickets in the second innings.

As former Test cricketer Jonathan Agnew asked: "What is going on?"

At least Madugalle is to have a serious word with captains Vaughan and Dravid before the final Test when he will, hopefully, tell them that suspensions will be the inevitable consequence of bad, or childish, behaviour at The Oval.

As for this morning's action, left-armer Ryan Sidebottom seemed to offer England their best hope of making life a little uncomfortable for India. It was Hampshire giant Tremlett, however, who parted the opening pair on 47 by inviting Jaffer to pull a ball which took the top edge and ballooned to gully.

And then, just to make sure he should not be the bowler to make way next week if Matthew Hoggard is fit again, Tremlett produced another sharp lifter to brush Karthik's glove.

Tendulkar then turned one more potential rib tickler into Cook's hands at backward short-leg. But that was as good as it got for England, though, with four byes settling the issue. Still, at least Vaughan's magnificent century should give them hope they can "do a Mumbaiî and hit back to draw another series with India.

Sixteen months ago, when a team inspired by the performances of all-rounder Andrew Flintoff earned a share of the spoils through achieving a remarkable victory in the final Test on the sub-continent, Vaughan's career was under a dark cloud.

But, come next week, Vaughan will lead England again with friend and foe knowing he is not only fit to play international cricket but also restored to the sort of form which puts him among the world's classiest batsmen.

While the captain was making 124 yesterday, home supporters could believe that India might be kept at bay, and maybe even put under pressure themselves this evening.

But once Vaughan was unluckily dismissed by Zaheer, with the second new ball trickling back on to the stumps via thigh pad and boot, common sense prevailed once more.

Yes, India enjoyed a nice chunk of good fortune when they were able to bowl first while conditions were at their most helpful. Overall, though, the visitors outplayed their hosts.

Even so, what a pity Vaughan's hundred, the like of which many people thought they would never see again when his fragile knee kept giving way last year, should count for so little in result terms.

It provided England with their one real tonic here. A century, against the West Indies at Headingley two months ago, showed Vaughan could still cope with Test cricket. Yesterday's ton, full of wonderful drives and perfect timing in conditions still not straightforward for batting, proved there is still magic in the wand.

And magic, aplenty, Vaughan and Co will need if they are to turn the tables on an Indian team who, encouraged by their escape at Lord's, took the initiative once the sun shone here.

They also took umbrage, or at least Zaheer did, at England's silly games with jelly beans on Sunday.

Now, though, the visitors are savouring victory.

"I just felt it was insulting,î said the 28-year-old fast bowler when sweets kept appearing at his feet while he was batting towards the end of India's first innings. "It definitely inspired me to do well [with the ball]."

Five years ago, Zaheer had an ordinary tour of this country. Last summer, he returned to play a full season for Worcestershire and last night he happily admitted his spell in county cricket had made a big difference.

"That definitely helped," said Zaheer, who took 78 championship wickets in 2006. "Getting used to the conditions and bowling so many overs, day in and day out, was very good."