Strauss boosts England with century in third test

Andrew Strauss returned to form with an elegant century as England made the most of India's surprise decision of electing to field first in the third and final Test here on Saturday.
The left-handed opener, without a half-century in his last four innings of the series, scored 128 for his eighth Test hundred as depleted England posted an impressive 272 for three at stumps after being put in to bat.
Stand-in captain Andrew Flintoff was unbeaten on 17 with all-rounder Paul Collingwood (11).
India captain Rahul Dravid, playing his 100th Test, won the first toss of the series and elected to field, only to see his bowlers struggle for success on a good batting track.
The hosts could grab just one wicket in the first two sessions and two in the last, with seamer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth finishing the day with 2-51 and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh with 1-68.
Strauss, 29, received valuable support from Owais Shah who scored an exact 50 on debut after being named in the team as a late replacement for in-form opener Alastair Cook, who was ruled out of the game due to a stomach ailment.
SCOREBOARD

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ENGLAND (1st innings):

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A. Strauss c Dhoni b Harbhajan       128

I. Bell c Harbhajan b Sreesanth       18

O. Shah retd hurt                     50

K. Pietersen c Dhoni b Sreesanth      39

P. Collingwood not out                11

A. Flintoff not out                   17

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EXTRAS: (B-3, LB-3, NB-2, W-1)         9

TOTAL: (for three wickets)           272

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