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London: India were 103 for five in their first innings, 289 runs short of the follow-on target, in reply to England's 591/6 declared at stumps on the third day of the fourth Test.
England might as well have batted on Venus, and India on Mars; for, the moment the latter started batting, it looked like the contest had shifted to another surface... a surface that was full of craters, bulges and volcanoes.
Suddenly, the ball was spitting fire, moving sharply and rising discomfortingly; suddenly, batting had become a hazardous occupation and India were, in a flash, struggling to stay alive.
Virender Sehwag escaped a third golden duck, even punching two neat holes through covers for boundaries; but he still couldn't get past the first over, being rapped on the pads by one that came back into him.
VVS Laxman was yet again caught by a beauty at Number 3, by one that moved just enough to get his edge. Luckily for India, though, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar then came together and showed their experience as space travellers. Suddenly, it looked like the match had shifted back to Venus, even though Stuart Broad did worry both with his bounce and perfect line and length.
Just when it looked like batting was not such a bad vocation, Tendulkar (23) executed a risky sweep and paid the price. Suresh Raina didn't look entirely out of place but his boots must have been too heavy: he remained unmoved despite facing 29 deliveries. Night-watchman Ishant Sharma lasted 9 deliveries.
Dravid, though, continued his somewhat angry vigil, staying unbeaten on 57. By stumps, India had wobbled to 103 for 5 with Graeme Swann slowly looking more and more dangerous. India are still 488 runs behind, and 289 from averting a follow-on.
England, resuming on 457 for three, dashed away to 591 for six by lunch, and declared three hours later, thanks to a rain interruption.
Ian Bell treaded the final stretch carefully to reach his maiden double hundred. He attacked more heartily after that as India's bowling steadily looked spaced out again; in his excitement, however, he attempted to slog Raina and was plumb in front of the wicket. He had made a pleasing 235 (364b, 23x4, 2x6) though, studding it with sparkling drives and rasping cuts.
India got rid of the nightwatchman (Anderson) early enough, with a Sreesath dare and stare; the same pacer got rid of Eoin Morgan too. But Ravi Bopara (44) and Matt Prior (18) made sure that the smiles wouldn't turn into laughs.
But at the lunch break, with the scorecard reading 591 for 6, the clouds opened up. It began as a drizzle but picked up momentum; within an hour the Oval had become as dark as the moon and it looked like India would escape to a draw. Just before 4pm, however, the sun came out again almost instantaneously and play began sometimes later.
Brief scores
England 591 for 6 dec (Bell 235, Pietersen 175)
India 103 for 5 (Dravid 57*, Dhoni 5*)
Status India trail by 488 runs
