'The Wall' puts up another century for India

Tony Lawrence, Reuters, Leeds, England

England's attempts to dismantle "The Wall" failed again on Thursday as Rahul Dravid lived up to his nickname, scoring a second successive century to put India in a commanding position after day one of the third test.

Dravid, who made 115 in the second test, finished on 110 not out as India, looking for a way back into the four-match series, closed on 236 for two after opting to bat.

Dravid added 170 for the second wicket with Sanjay Bangar and a comfortable 51 for the third with Sachin Tendulkar who, back at Headingley after spending a season with Yorkshire 10 years ago, was unbeaten on 18.

Dravid, who averages over 50 in tests and has now made 12 centuries, is a fine strokeplayer as well as a man with the most organized of defenses.

Thursday, with the overcast conditions offering early swing and the pitch sharp bounce, was all about the latter and batting England out of the game rather than pleasing crowds.

It was slow but effective. Dravid, who batted for 6-1/2 hours, laid the foundations perfectly for his team of strokemakers after Virender Sehwag's early departure.

Sehwag, a player more attuned to cavalry charges than trench warfare, was tempted by a Matthew Hoggard outswinger in the overcast conditions and edged the ball into Andrew Flintoff's bucket-like hands at second slip to make it 15 for one.

"The first two sessions were all about conserving wickets, we didn't worry about the slow scoring rate," said Dravid.

"I was very satisfied in the context of the conditions -- there was swing and sideways movement. It was a pitch where you never felt you were really in."

England's quicks, however, repeated the errors of the drawn second test as they failed to capitalize on an early breakthrough by bowling too wide and too short.

The rest of the morning and afternoon turned into a war of attrition, the scoring rate barely creeping over two an over as India consolidated cautiously while hardly offering a chance.

England, 1-0 up in the four-match series, continued to attack with six men in their slip cordon and later brought in two short- leg fielders to try and unsettle Bangar.

But the all-rounder, making his first appearance of the series and playing only his sixth test, maintained concentration during his five-hour 68 after being asked to open.

He reached his half-century with a scampered single off Alex Tudor, although he would have been out had Michael Vaughan's throw from cover hit the stumps.