Steve Harmison took two wickets with the second new ball

England endured a tough day in the field on Friday as the India Board President's XI declared on 342-8.

Starting their second innings 104 runs adrift, the tourists then lost Andrew Strauss cheaply to be 10-1 at stumps.

The hosts had been strongly positioned at 269-3 at tea thanks to Gautam Gambhir (108) and Suresh Raina (62).

Steve Harmison (3-72) and Andrew Flintoff (3-74) responded well but the prospect of defeat still looms for injury-ravaged England.

The star of the show on a day of stifling heat was left-handed opener Gambhir.

Quotes: Flintoff queries reverse swing tactics

His century sent a message to the India selectors who had discarded him from the squad for the first Test, starting next Wednesday.

He was fortunate at times, however.

Spilled by Marcus Trescothick on Thursday, he was missed again by England's errant wicket-keeper Geraint Jones from a leg-glance off Harmison.

Gambhir had added 64 with Dheeraj Jadhav for the second wicket before Harmison took England's only wicket of the morning session.

Jadhav attempted to square cut and a top-edge presented Jones with an easy catch, ending a 64-run stand for the second wicket.

Photos: Action from Baroda

Suresh Raina, the teenage left-hander in India's Test and one-day squads, then hit 62 in an 86-run stand with Gambhir.

Raina flashed the luckless Matthew Hoggard past Flintoff in the slips and survived a stumping chance when Monty Panesar drew him down the track.

Again, there was just one wicket in the session - and it came when Flintoff's slower ball was spooned by Gambhir straight to point.

It was a tough day for England's bowlers in the heat of India

After tea, Raina was caught in the deep off Panesar before England decided to take the second new ball.

Flintoff immediately bowled new batsman Subramaniam Badrinath.

Harmison dislodged skipper Venugopal Rao and wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik - both falling to slip catches - and Vikram Singh was the last man out, bowled by a Flintoff yorker.

Ramesh Powar clubbed 23 off just 17 balls before the declaration.

Strauss and Marcus Trescothick only had eight overs to face before stumps but the task was beyond the Middlesex man, who edged his 10th ball to second slip.

Paul Collingwood, who missed selection for the game because of a back problem, was able to spend time on the ground as a substitute fielder.

England calm despite injury blows

And paceman Simon Jones was fit enough after a stomach bug to take on some of the 12th man duties.

But England's attack was one man short with Liam Plunkett unable to bowl because of a bruised heel.

Kevin Pietersen (sore back) was at the ground but did not enter the action.

Captain Michael Vaughan (knee) has played no part in the match and is doubtful for the Nagpur Test.