Cricket: India struggle to avoid follow on

Hapless India slumped to 5-103 at stumps in their first innings on the third day of the fourth test at The Oval yesterday after an Ian Bell double ton had fired England to 6-591 declared.

Rahul Dravid, on 57, and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, on five, were the not out batsmen following another poor performance by the tourists who were as miserable as the London rain that claimed the day's second session.

Bell's first test double century had put England, already 3-0 up in the series, in a dominant position at lunch.

The Warwickshire batsman, 181 not out overnight, overhauled his previous best of 199 to make 235 before he was leg before to Suresh Raina.

After a delay of more than three hours for rain England declared and their bowlers got to work to leave India struggling, with off-spinner Graeme Swann claiming three wickets.

Virender Sehwag's poor form continued as he was trapped leg before by James Anderson in the first over of India's reply for just eight.

VVS Laxman was caught behind off Stuart Broad for two, Sachin Tendulkar went for 23 and Raina was stumped for a duck having faced 29 balls.

Tendulkar's wait for his 100th international century continues after he gloved an attempted sweep off Swann and was caught by Anderson at slip.

But the day belonged to England with Bell notching his 16th test century and Ravi Bopara making 44 not out.

Bell's score took him to 950 runs for the calendar year, the most by any batsman in the world, and English players occupy four of the top five positions.

Alastair Cook is second, Kevin Pietersen third and Matt Prior fifth, with Dravid in fourth.

Bell puts England's hungry batting form down to the influence of Graham Gooch, a former England and Essex opener and now the team's batting coach.

- AAP