Related Links : India’s tour of England : 3rd Test Scorecard
Facing a huge first innings deficit of 664, England got themselves into shambles by playing some bad cricket on the third day. Their first innings is almost over at 326 for 9 with the follow-on target itself way out of reach. The big question as play begins on the fourth day is if Rahul Dravid enforces the follow-on or not? Indications are that he may not and opt to give his bowlers a couple of hours of rest to recharge their batteries.
The Indian bowlers knew that it was going to be real hard work to take wickets on a flat track like The Oval. But they were helped by some injudicious strokeplay from the English batsmen. All the bowlers chipped in to get the wickets or sustain the pressure that was created. The morning session saw the pair of Alastair Cook and night watchman Jimmy Anderson playing some handsome shots. Cook would have been dismissed very early in the morning, when his leg glance off Sreesanth went straight in and out of Dinesh Karthik’s hands at leg gully. There was a difficult chance later at leg slip for Ganguly off Kumble’s bowling. But the catch dropped by Karthik was a sitter. The Indians had to wait for almost an hour before they got rid of the night watchman, who was beaten in length and pace by an RP Singh’s incoming delivery that got him lbw. This second wicket put on 66 runs despite the presence of a tail-ender who actually looked like a good batsman.
Michael Vaughan came to the crease with scores of 197 and 195 in the past against the Indians in the last series in 2002. He was the man capable of scoring a big double that was required. There was a good partnership developing with Cook which was broken by a technically bad shot execution from Cook. Trying to turn a Kumble’s googly towards the onside, Cook didn’t get his foot to the pitch of the ball and had also closed the face of the blade too early to get a leading edge that was caught at mid off. Cook made 61 from 98 balls with 11 fours in a stay of two and half hours. Anil Kumble in his next over got rid of the dangerous Michael Vaughan with his variation in flight and pace. It was a googly that dipped in late to induce a false drive from the English Captain which resulted in a simple return catch. Vaughan batted for an hour to make just the 11 runs. The fall of Vaughan’s wicket was also lunch on the third day’s play with England shaken up at 124 for 4. The wicket of Vaughan made Kumble as the joint third highest wicket-taker in Test Cricket along with McGrath at a tally of 563 wickets.
After lunch, Kumble so easily could have got his third wicket off the second ball of the session. Collingwood got rapped up on his pads after trying to play for the non existent turn, but was lucky for not being adjudged lbw by Ian Howell. That was a let off and England through Pietersen and Collingwood started to build up a fightback. The entire session was going England’s way with the Indian bowlers trying hard but not getting the breakthrough. Rahul Dravid made a change in the penultimate over before Tea, bringing in Sachin Tendulkar. And that change did wonders as Pietersen quite arrogantly went for a forcing drive to Sachin’s first delivery itself that wasn’t a half volley to be caught at slip to end the 78-run partnership. It was a sharp turning leg break that could have been well left alone but for KP’s ego. Pietersen threw away his wicket after getting 41 from 107 balls with 4 fours.
India got half of the England side dismissed but after the Tea Break, their progress was halted thanks to a spirited partnership between Collingwood and Bell. Both of them were helped by the fact that the ball wasn’t that hard enough to get the extra bounce and also that Sachin Tendulkar was operating at one end. A couple of lofted shots made the batsmen look very positive and up to the challenge. The medium pacers got the ball to reverse swing, but the two right handers negotiated it without much trouble. India had even used VVS Laxman to roll his arm over to try his luck but the two batsmen just stuck to their task efficiently and in the process getting their half centuries. Dravid had no option but to take the second new ball and it gave immediate results. The fifth ball with the new ball gave Sreesanth the wicket of Collingwood although in a lucky way. Collingwood got an inswinger that was drifting in and in his attempted flick missed the line of the delivery. Umpire Ian Howell raised his finger thinking that the ball had straightened enough to have England at 288 for 6. Although it was a good partnership of 86, India had to wait for just over 20 overs to break this sixth wicket stand. Collingwood made 62 from 120 with 9 fours in a stay of over 200 minutes.
The second new ball did the trick for India and England lost wickets in a heap. Ian Bell followed Collingwood back in the pavilion with a rank bad shot, trying to cut a delivery that was too close to him to be caught behind. This time it was Zaheer to take the wicket. Bell made his highest score of the series, making 63 from 96 balls with 11 fours. Zaheer then bounced out Ryan Sidebottom who had a stay of just four balls. And then the man under pressure, Matthew Prior after scratching around for a while, nicked an away going seamer from Sreesanth. Prior has lost his confidence completely, after conceding 33 byes and dropping two catches, he was out for a painful duck. Prior’s dismissal was at 305 for 9 giving enough opportunity for the Indians to bowl out England with about 30 minutes left in the day. However, the last pair of Chris Tremlett (18 from 30 with 2 fours) and Monty Panesar (0 from 17) survived 40 deliveries before the close. Monty was lucky to miss deliveries outside off every time he had tried to have a poke.
Zaheer had a wonderful day, swinging the ball in both directions along with the occasional bouncer to finish at 3 for 32 from 22 overs which included 13 maidens. Sreesanth had a mix bag, but looked good when he got the ball to reverse swing in his 2 for 80 from 21 overs. The danger man for England is Anil Kumble who has returns of 2 for 86 from 26. He will be difficult to play on the last two days along with Sachin Tendulkar, who has got the ball to turn sharply.