Strauss' ton has England in control

The Middlesex left-hander became only the 10th England player in history to score 100s in both innings of a Test mid-way through the fourth morning as the tourists extended their lead to 319 runs by reaching 244 for three at lunch on the fourth day.

He also becomes only the fourth player in history to achieve the feat on Indian soil and the first England player since Marcus Trescothick also hit 100s in both innings against West Indies at Edgbaston in 2004.

Strauss was once again given solid support by Durham all-rounder Paul Collingwood, who reached the interval within seven runs of a century of his own, as they extended their unbroken partnership to 201 runs, England's fourth biggest ever in India.

Their steady display during the morning session ensured the tourists were given a solid start after resuming 247 runs ahead on 172 for three with India's attack unable to break the solid defence and concentration of the England pair.

Strauss brought up his landmark with a single to the on-side off left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan in the 20th over of the day at the Chepauk Stadium as England progressed to 234 for three shortly before lunch, extending their lead to 309 runs.

His effort was all the more remarkable because he had been denied any meaningful practice because of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and entered the Test with just a handful of one-day innings since the end of last summer.

Neither of the England batsmen found runs easy to come by during the early stages, particularly during a superb five-over opening spell from seamer Ishant Sharma which conceded just 12 runs.

It took Collingwood six overs before he recorded England's first boundary of the day, a glance to fine leg for four off Sharma, while Strauss hit two boundaries off Harbhajan Singh to get his innings moving again. But despite using five different bowlers during the morning session, India were unable to cause many alarms for the England pair as they bat towards a big enough lead to prompt a declaration and the push for a potentially memorable victory.