Tendulkar smashed 10 boundaries

Sehwag reached his half century in 57 deliveries before over-confidence saw him loft Jeremy Snape to Trescothick at deep midwicket.

Hoggard accounted for VVS Laxman, Dinesh Mongia and debutant Sanjay Bangar in quick succession to leave the hosts 174 for five.

But two events turned the tide back in India's favour: a change of ball was requested and wicketkeeper James Foster gloved a catch off new batsman Hemang Badani.

The missed chance allowed a sixth wicket partnership of 27 between Badani and Ajay Ratra, taking India to the brink of victory.

Four-wicket haul

Snape was the man who ended Tendulkar's masterclass, hitting the opener on the pad as he played across the line.

Fellow spinners Kumble and Harbhajan Singh shared three wickets, conceding an aggregate 71 runs, during the England innings.

Agarkar dismissed Hollioake just when he was most needed

And in the absence of left-armer Ashley Giles, back-up seamers Ben Hollioake and Paul Collingwood struggled in the fifth bowler's slot, forcing Hussain to bowl his main men out early.

The tourists also missed veteran batsman Graham Thorpe, left out despite having recovered from a stomach bug, as they were bowled out for just 217.

Seamer Agit Agarkar took four wickets, dismissing a threatening Marcus Trescothick at the top of the order and breaking up England's seventh wicket partnership.

Unhappy homecoming

After a speedy start by the openers, Nick Knight top-edged a Javagal Srinath slower ball to extra cover for 10.

And, having plundered five fours to reach 36 in 34 deliveries, Trescothick gloved an Agarkar bouncer to wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra.

Nasser Hussain, playing international cricket for the first time in the city of his birth, had an unhappy homecoming, cross-batting Sanjay Bangar's second delivery to mid on for one.

Hussain's return to Madras was far from a happy one

Kumble kept up the pressure and was rewarded with the wicket of Collingwood, edging a forward defensive off Harbhajan to slip.

Ironically it was Michael Vaughan, Thorpe's stand-in, who was England's highest scorer.

But his dismissal, cutting Kumble to short third man for 43, left England's lower order under heavy pressure at 125 for six with 20 overs remaining.

Seventh wicket pair Hollioake and Snape consolidated well, putting on 70 together in 15 overs - but their dismissals both came as the slog overs began, leaving the tail exposed.

Snape was bowled on 38 attempting to pull Agarkar and Hollioake top-edged the skiddy seamer to Kumble at cover.

England's misery was complete when Hoggard was run out by a precise throw from Dinesh Mongia at deep square leg.

India:A Kumble (capt), S Tendulkar, V Sehwag, VVS Laxman, D Mongia, H Badani, A Ratra (wkt), S Bangar, J Srinath , A Agarkar, H Singh.

England: N Hussain (capt), NV Knight, ME Trescothick, MP Vaughan, A Flintoff, PD Collingwood, AF Giles, JS Foster (wkt), D Gough, MJ Hoggard, BC Hollioake, JP Snape.

Umpires: VK Chopra & D Sharma (3rd Umpire: BA Jamula)
Match referee: D Lindsay (SA).