Openers set stall for England rearguard

Any hope of preserving an unbeaten home Test series record stretching back to 2001 was all but ended by England's failure to set competitive first-innings totals both at the Oval and during the previous Test at Trent Bridge.

But after being set an unlikely victory target of 500 with a minimum of 100 overs remaining of the final Test, England at least set the foundations for a final day performance to thwart's India's victory bid as they chase their first series win on English soil since 1986.

Facing a tricky 20 overs before the close of the fourth day, England at least emerged unscathed from their first challenge with openers Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss guiding them to 56 without loss.

The big challenge, though, is ahead of them with a further day to negotiate and produce their first consistent display of the series having failed to score more than 355 in any of their previous innings against the tourists.

They will, however, have found encouragement in Strauss and Cook - who have only got three half-centuries between them in the series - success in surviving unscathed to leave India requiring all 10 wickets for victory on the final day.

England had begun the day still trailing by 338 on 326 for nine and although they frustrated India for half an hour, they eventually conceded a 319-run first innings deficit, although India captain rahul Dravid decided not to enforce the follow-on as he sought to protect his side's 1-0 series lead.

Their plan was undermined, however, by a spirited display from an England attack deprived of left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom, who had not recovered from the side strain he suffered during the first innings, as the tourists slumped to 11 for three with James Anderson grabbing the wickets of Wasim Jaffer and Sachin Tendulkar.

Stunned by the demise of their top order, captain Rahul Dravid changed tactics and set about trying to block India into a lead comfortable enough for him to declare. With Sourav Ganguly adopting an aggressive role in hammering 57 off 68 balls, Dravid dropped anchor in determined fashion and contributed only five to their 65-run stand.

Dravid occupied the crease for 140 mind-numbing minutes for his 12, having taken 91 balls to register his first boundary, before he fell to Collingwood. His next major contribution would be to declare with a lead of 499 runs but his bowlers could not make any inroads before stumps.