White celebrates his first Ton in Tests

Towards the close Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were forced into their shells by some intelligent bowling from Giles and Flintoff.

It was comfortably England's best day of the series - a day that had promised Indian dominance on the spin-friendly track.

White led the way with the bat, but he was ably supported by wicketkeeper James Foster - who shared in a record stand of 105 for the seventh wicket - and the rest of the lower order, who hung around to help the score pass the 400-mark.

It was a superb effort from White - particularly as the No.7 had been so hideously short of form with the bat.

And it went a long way to silencing England's critics, who had given them no chance of even stretching the home side after their crushing defeat in the first Test.

India's star performer was again Anil Kumble, who finished the England innings with seven for 115.

Breakthrough

England's much-needed first wicket came after Mark Ramprakash had dropped as easy a chance as he could hope to have as Richard Dawson forced Shiv Sunder Das, 24 at the time, into offering a chance to silly point.

First Test centurion Deep Dasgupta then fatally top-edged Giles on 17, leaving Nasser Hussain to take a simple catch at short fine leg.

And not long afterwards, Das was finally out for 41, edging Flintoff tamely to Mark Butcher at second slip.

Foster and White's stand was so crucial

England's batting performance represented a tremendous recovery from 180 for five just after tea on day one.

Hussain's men had begun the day 277 for six.

Hero of the day White, the last man out, went to 121 with an enormous six off Harbhajan Singh but was bowled by the same bowler immediately afterwards.

He was fortunate at times, particularly when putting on a century stand with the much-improved Foster, who hit a crucial, gutsy 40.

Kumble took seven of the wickets to fall, the final one coming when he clean bowled Giles (7) through the gate with his googly.

Sachin catch

Foster had been out 20 minutes before lunch for 40, caught by Tendulkar off Kumble, who has been India's best bowler by streets.

White had four lives in all, on 44, 52, 63 and 67.

Dasgupta missed a stumping off Harbhajan Singh in the fourth over of the morning, then Virender Sehwag fluffed a run-out chance.

Dasgupta was at fault again when spilling a routine edge as seamer Javagal Srinath cursed his misfortune.

And the drama continued in the same over, when Kumble dropped White at long leg.

Foster transformed

Essex wicketkeeper Foster had looked a transformed batsman from the jittery figure he cut in the Mohali debacle.

He was finally out though when Tendulkar dived to his left as Kumble was England's nemesis once again.

Dawson, the ninth man to fall, was caught by a diving Dasgupta as Srinath finally got a much-deserved wicket.

England at least showed they can compete - but, with India leading the three-match rubber 1-0, there is a long way to go before they can level the series.

India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Shiv Sundar Das, Deep Dasgupta, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Tinu Yohannan.

England: Nasser Hussain (captain), Mark Butcher, Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Mark Ramprakash, Andrew Flintoff, Craig White, James Foster, Ashley Giles, Richard Dawson, Matthew Hoggard.

Umpires: AV Jayaprakash (Ind) and Ian Robinson (Zim).
Match referee: Denis Lindsay (SA).