England chip left after Dravid's epic

India 300 (Dravid 146*, Bresnan 3-54) and 129 for 3 (Tendulkar 35*, Mishra 8*) trail England 591 for 6 dec by 162 runs

England moved nearer to a 4-0 series whitewash next to India in spite of encounter some brave confrontation from Rahul Dravid on day four at The Oval. Dravid's winning 146 accounted for almost half of his side's first-innings total as the tourists were bowled out for 300 during the afternoon session.

It was the first time they had reached that mark in the whole series, but the total was still not sufficient to avoid the follow-on as England made their opponents bat all through the whole day.

India avoid another top-order collapse and ended the day 162 runs behind on 129-3, but they still face an uphill task on the final day if they are to avoid beat in the fourth and final Test.

India had resume the day on 103-5 and during the night partnership of Dravid and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17) survived for 12 overs awaiting the latter edge at the back off the bowling of James Anderson.

Dravid continued undeterred and bring up his century, from 168 balls, with a dab to third man for two off Tim Bresnan.

The 38-year-old is fourth on the all-time list of Test centurions with 35 and becomes only the third India player to carry his bat in a Test innings.

Amit Mishra, who shattered the last ball before lunch for a six over long-on, made a breezy, defiant 43 in a seventh-wicket stand of 87 before he was dismiss by a superb one-handed Ian Bell catch as he attempt to pull a Bresnan delivery.

Usual opener Gautam Gambhir, not second-hand at the top of the innings due to a concussion, then made a n almost strokeless 10 before looping an easy catch to Kevin Pietersen at gully off Stuart Broad.

RP Singh hit five boundaries in a rapid 25 to help take the tourist to the 300 mark for the first time in the series, but they would go no further.

Bresnan (3-54) had Singh wedged at third slip and last man Sreesanth drove the same bowler directly to Eoin Morgan at cover two balls later.

Dravid was trapped four runs short of 150 and minutes later was back out in the middle again, retain opening duty as England, with a first-innings lead of 291, compulsory the follow-on.

His continuous spell at the crease looked to have come to an end when he was given out trapped by short-leg Alastair Cook off Swann, but a review showed the ball had clearly miss his bat.

But his valiant confrontation finally ended when he was once again snared bat-pad by Cook off the same bowler, with the review this time going next to him despite no evidence of any edge. With no conclusive proof suggesting Dravid had actually nicked the ball, it was strange how third umpiring Steve Davis determined to claim superiority the on-field umpire.

The Hot-Spot and snick meter clearly failed to spot any contact between the bat and ball but Dravid walked off the field in a cordial manner, very typical of him.

The wicket can be crucial in the background of the game, felt Sunil Gavaskar in the commentary box.
Virender Sehwag made a patchy 33 before departure as he was beaten by the spin of Swann and bowled throughout the gate attempt an ambitious drive against the turn.

Sachin Tendulkar (35 not out) and VVS Laxman almost made it to the come to an end but the latter fell for 24 late in the day after a beauty from Anderson sent his off stump flying out of the ground.

And Tendulkar was given a life when slow-motion replay suggested he was confused by Prior in the closing stages of the day but no England player appeal after the bails were removed with the batsman's back foot appear to be in the air at the crucial moment.

But with no appeal, Tendulkar survives and will have a chance to make that indefinable hundredth international hundred on the final day of the series.

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Hayden inspired by 'dominant' Bell

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has paid rich compliment to Ian Bell, saying that the England batsman was now ruling Test cricket. Bell struck 235, his best in Tests, in the final Test at The Oval.

It was his fifth Test hundred this year. The feat saw him restore Alastair Cook as the most important Test run-scorer in 2011 - Bell now has 950 runs to Cook's 927 and England's Kevin Pietersen is third with 731.

Hayden, a cruelly effective run-scorer, was a key member of the Australia side that led the way in Test cricket in the 1990s and 2000s.

But he has been frightened by the performance of England, who have become the world's leading Test side since defeat Australia 3-1 in an Ashes series earlier this year, in general and Bell in particular.

"Ian Bell has always been a very technically sound player and he's now dominate Test cricket simply because theoretically he's sound, mentally he's grown up, his physical attribute are very good and he's relish the hard work," Hayden told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme on Sunday.

Hayden, talking after the magazine of the Argus report into the state of Australian cricket, also highlighted consistency of selection - something England was once infamous for lacking and which has been a trouble for recent Australia sides - as a key reason behind the rise of Andrew Strauss's team.

"In my career there was a lot of discrepancy (in the England team), both in performances and also selection," he said.

"There were so many players coming in and out of the side it was really a turnstile into the English covering room, but now it's very different," Hayden added.

Meanwhile, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive David Collier downplayed suggestions powerful England coach Andy Flower could be misplaced to another country.

The Zimbabwean has played a key role behind the scenes during England's scale to the top of the ICC Test Championship table since captivating over from Peter Moores two years ago.

Flower rejected a move toward from India before they chosen his compatriot Duncan Fletcher, the former England coach, and Collier said: "I think Andy made his position very clear when the Indian state of affairs happened.

"I think he is very established in England and long may that continue. I think the whole of the backroom team is very important.

"We've residential a structure over five to 10 years now that has not only deliver plans but has leapfrogged countries in the world and we want to keep that team together."

England currently leads their series with India 3-0. If they win at The Oval, it will be the first time England have triumph 4-0 in a four-Test series since whitewashing the West Indies in 2004.

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Arthur needs to coach Australia

As Cricket Australia search for a new coach for its national side after a major unexpected result, previous South Africa coach Micky Arthur has shown awareness in the job.

Arthur, who is now coach of Western Australia, said he has wants to go back to international cricket and would think the job, but that his priority at the moment remains the domestic Australian side.

"Yes, I would be stupid not to be paying attention, but at the moment my priority is Western Australia. I have ambitions to carry on coaching at international level, however, I have incomplete business here (in WA)," Arthur was quoted as saying by Daily Telegraph.

Cricket Australia sack chief selector Andrew Hilditch, selector Greg Chappel and asked Coach Tim Nielsen to re-apply for the job on the commendation of a review panel, led by Don Argus.

Argus has optional that a new coach, general manager of team presentation and full-time chairman of selectors be put in place before the South African tour.

Australia will play two Twenty20 matches, three one-day games and two Tests in South Africa from mid-October to late November.

"Given Arthur's deep information of South Africa's players and circumstances, it would be an ideal place for him to start," the report in the newspaper said.

The report also renowned that "India became the No. 1 Test nation under South Africa's Gary Kirsten for approximately two years and now England are top dog with Zimbabwean Andy Flower at the helm."

"Australia has the ideal opportunity to become the best Test nation again by following the lead of India and England and appoint an African coach," it said. Australia has never chosen a foreign coach for its national side.

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Swann set belongings to see on early wickets

Graeme Swann has already eliminate two of India's best hopes of avoid a 4-0 power series whitewash - and would have bag an even bigger wicket if his team-mates had been on the ball.

Swann was the bowler who to finish shifted Rahul Dravid, after more than seven hours of confrontation with an winning 146 in India's first-innings 300 and then just 13 more out of 129 for three at stumps on Day Four of the fourth Test at The Oval.

He doubles up with the off-spinner's favourite mode of discharge, bowling Virender Sehwag through the gate.

But Sachin Tendulkar survive on 34 - when he would have gone stumped had England had the presence of mind to demand - and will therefore stand in their way again tomorrow, in what force yet prove to be the Little Master's last Test innings in this country.

"What can I say? I'm at the bowler's end, so I can't see," Swann protest. "They've only got about 12 pairs of eyes round the stumps.

"It's not precisely the brains belief who field round there, so it's no revelation nobody picked up on it." Nearest of all was the man who took off the bails, with Tendulkar's foot off the floor.

"I am a bit astonished Matty Prior didn't, because he appeals for everything," added Swann, who however had plenty to smile about.

On a wearing pitch, he previously has five wickets in the match - and could easily be the key to the ending as India try to bat out three sessions, still 162 runs short of making England bat again.

"I look forward to it, having to play a big part in a possible victory for England - that's always thrilling," said Swann.

"It's going to be a hard day, make no bones about that. We've got seven more wickets, and we need to get them fairly sharpish so we don't end up in a circumstance where we might have to bat again.

"We need to crack on in the morning in the same vein we ended tonight, because I thought we bowled actually well in that last session."

He is already pleased to have prized out Dravid, who long-established tonight that he did feel a thin edge on his bat-pad removal from office achieved via DRS.
"The way he's batted this summer has just been outstanding," Swann said of his adversary.

"It is very fulfilling first of all to get him out tonight. His was the one wicket we were in fact gunning for tonight because he approved his bat in the first innings, and has got a hundred in every Test match (of the summer) more or less."
As for Sehwag's exit, Swann said: "Bowling people all the way through the gate only happens three or four times a year, if you're lucky.

"It's always one to savour, especially when it's a player of his repute and standing. "When it comes out of your hand, you know it's in the right place. But when you actually see it go through the gap, it's an amazing feeling.

"I'd previously had one go over the top of leg-stump and I'd said to Straussy 'it's just not my day'. "He said 'stop being so gloomy, Swann'. So good on him."
Swann made it clear too that there will be no slacking tomorrow from the world's number one team, with another victory to push for.

"After five days of cricket, if you're just going to turn up happy with the draw then you're not going to last long in this rule.

"We'll be rotating up tomorrow 100% dedicated to try to win this game. If anyone aired those sort of views in the changing room, they'd be shot down - and rightly so.

"We need to try to get the wickets early - a help if we could get three or four before lunch, and particularly get rid of Tendulkar. We don't want him sticking around too long."

Dravid is not giving up hope that his team-mates can come good with some delayed and telling disobedience tomorrow - and refuses to blame them for India's ills.
"It will be mixed feelings (if India loses)," he said.

"I guess there will definitely be a sense of satisfaction at the way I played, and I'm still hoping that we will be able to draw this Test match.

"Sachin is unmoving batting and is looking good - so who knows? "Evidently when you get a hundred and don't end up winning the Test match it doesn't feel nice all the time.

"The guys have tried, practiced hard ... but clearly this time we haven't clicked as a unit, which has been sad. "It's not trying, because no one is going out there not to try and succeed.

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ECB not troubled over Flower future

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive David Collier is not worried by the possibility of losing team director Andy Flower to another country.

The Zimbabwean has help turn England into the number one ranked Test side in the world this summer and is a highly rated approximately the world.

Flower turned down a move toward to take over as India coach before they selected Duncan Fletcher and Collier is securing him is committed to England.

"I think Andy made his place very clear when the Indian situation happened," he said on Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.

"I think he is very established in England and long may that continue. I think the whole of the backroom team is (very important).

"We've urbanized a arrangement over five to 10 years now that has not only delivered plans but has leapfrogged countries in the world and we want to keep that team together."

Collier exposed the ECB were set to sign a new sponsorship deal.

"We're in final deliberations regarding a long-term relationship with new sponsors," he said. "We will be making an statement in the not too far-away future."

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden claim England's ascent to the best in the world was down to reliability.

"In my career there was a lot of irregularity (in the England team), both in performance and also selection," he said.

"There were so many players coming in and out of the side it was really a turnstile into the English dressing room, but now it's very dissimilar."

He also had chosen out Ian Bell, who scored 235 in the fourth Test with India at The Oval, for special praise.

"Ian Bell has always been a very technically sound player and he’s now dominating Test cricket simply because technically he's sound, emotionally he's grown up, his physical attribute are very good and he's relishing the hard work."

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My heart unmoving bleed for Pakistan

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has confess that he is disappearing to play for the national team once again.

Speaking on a show, Afridi also made some scornful remarks on the acceptance of Waqar Younis as Pakistan team coach after the Zimbabwe tour.

"My heart bleeds to play for Pakistan and I am disappearing to play for my country. I even necessary going to Zimbabwe and with any luck at the right time I will make a reply to the team," Afridi said.

The colorful all-rounder announce his departure from all international cricket in objection in late May after the Pakistan board detached him as captain of the national one-day team after a disagreement with Waqar on the West Indies tour which was highly exposed.

Afridi has frequently said that he can make a reply only when better people come into the team organization.

Interestingly some cricket analyst point out that since Afridi's departure the entire team organization of the national side has been distorted and indication are now he will return to the team soon.

Earlier this month, the board detached Intikhab Alam as manager and also changed supporter coaches, Aaqib Javed and Shahid Aslam while Waqar announce his acceptance due to personal and health reasons insist he had no complaint against anyone and his choice was not cricket related. .

But Afridi said that he failed to appreciate that if Waqar had resigned why he was being sent as coach on the Zimbabwe tour.

"I don't know but I feel if he has any problem he should have faced them. He didn't look to have fitness problems to me but now if that has changed I don't know about that," Afridi said.

The all-rounder said he owed a lot to Pakistan and wanted to stand for the country but retire because the surroundings in the team were not friendly.

"They need to bring in more levelheaded and good people into the team organization and if that happens I will think again my decision to retire," he said.

"I have been stimulated by the support shown to me by the people. I owe them a lot."

The former captain said that it was unlucky but the board had not treat players well and didn't have proper communiqué with them that led to lot of troubles in the team.

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