BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | England fail to take advantage



By Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent

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India had the best of an attritional day on which only 236 runs were scored in 90 overs.

If that in some way implies a criticism of India's batsmen, then it should not: they battled away magnificently in conditions that were tailor-made for England's seam bowlers.

Andy Caddick appeals unsuccessfully
Caddick was unimpressive with the second new ball
As at Trent Bridge, in the previous Test, England simply did not bowl straight enough.

With the ball swinging, seaming and bouncing erratically, it was the sort of morning on which the batting team could easily have lost five wickets.

However, only Sehwag was removed for eight as Bangar and Dravid began their lengthy partnership.

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It seems as if huge store has been placed by Duncan Fletcher and Nasser Hussain on the importance of bowling on one side of the wicket in order to prevent the Indians from scoring too freely.

When the ball is dominating the bat, the bowlers must aim straighter

This is absolutely essential on flat pitches and in good batting conditions because it enables the captain to set fields accordingly.

But when the ball is dominating the bat, the bowlers must aim straighter in order to make the batsman play at as many balls as possible.

Caddick could be excused his rather tentative performance since he has been out of Test cricket since pulling a muscle in his side against Sri Lanka.

These injuries take a long time to get over - not just physically, but psychologically too: you have to persuade yourself that you won't hurt yourself again.

All that can be said, though, is that Caddick has played two county matches, and taken wickets which suggested that he was back to full fitness.

Sanjay Bangar
Bangar hit his second Test half-century
On the evidence of today - especially his very gentle spell with the second new ball - he did not appear to be ready to return to the more rigorous demands of Test cricket.

Bangar is an extremely useful utility cricketer. Brought in here to enable India to play two spinners, he gave absolutely nothing away and regularly took nasty blows on the body.

The experienced Dravid clearly helped him along the way.

They took their partnership to 170 before Flintoff, in a typically bruising spell from round the wicket, flicked Bangar's glove as the ball flew past his ribs.

Dravid reached his second century in consecutive innings by flicking Hoggard for four, and he will resume on 110 and Tendulkar 18 as India aim to build on their promising start.