England, after winning the toss, declared their first innings on a score of 591 for six on the third day of the fourth Test against India at The Oval here on Saturday. Ian Bell's Test-best 235 was the cornerstone of a total that also featured 175 from Kevin Pietersen - with the two batsmen sharing an England record against India of 350.
England captain Andrew Strauss declared on England's lunch total after rain meant there was no play between lunch and tea following a downpour that saw most of Thursday's first day abandoned. However, the match looked set to resume under blue skies at 4:50pm local time (1550GMT), with 33 overs left in Saturday's play. Strauss's declaration meant India needed 392 to avoid the follow-on, having failed to make 300 in any of their innings this series so far.
It appeared bad weather was England's greatest foe in their bid to complete a 4-0 series whitewash of India, the team they replaced as the world's best Test side by climbing to the top of the ICC standings with an innings and 242-run victory at Edgbaston last week. Ravi Bopara, in for the injured Jonathan Trott, finished on 44 not out with Matt Prior 18 not out. The innings saw three India bowlers concede more than 100 runs each, with leg-spinner Amit Mishra (none for 170 in 38 overs) the most expensive.
Scoreboard Scoreboard at close of England's first innings on the third day of the fourth Test against India at The Oval on Saturday:
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England 1st Innings (overnight: 457-3)
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A. Strauss c Dhoni b Sreesanth 40
A. Cook c Sehwag b Sharma 34
I. Bell lbw b Raina 235
K. Pietersen c and b Raina 175
J. Anderson c Laxman b Sreesanth 13
E. Morgan c Dhoni b Sreesanth 1
R. Bopara not out 44
M. Prior not out 18
Extras: (b6, lb8, w7, nb10) 31
Total: (6 wkts dec, 153 overs, 661 mins) 591
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