NOTTINGHAM.

England. July 6: England replying to India's first innings 521, were 322 for one

at the close on the third day of the third and final Test at Trent Bridge today, reports Reuter.

AP adds: Openers Mike Atherton and Alec Stewart fought off a testing first hour's their unbroken partnership to 128 by lunch.

It was the third time in 43 Tests that the opening pair had reached 100 together Atherton was 69 not out and Stewart was one short of his 18th half-century.

Beginning the day at 32 without loss and 489 runs behind India's first innings 521. England's two most experienced players — they have 112 Tests between them — were immediately put under pressure by the tight bowling of pacemen Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad.

Both bowlers troubled die batsmen, beating them outside off often, but never ’ lucky enough to find an edge. Srinath unsuccessfully appealed for lbw several times, one decision against Atherton being incredibly close as the England captain was struck on the pads playing well back in his crease

Prasad also had Atherton in trouble when his short-pitched delivery found the splice of Atherton's bat and the ball flew over slips, just out of reach of leaping Indian Captain Mohammed Azharuddin.

Stewart broke the tension in Prasad's fifth over when he drove the seamer through the covers for the first boundary of the day. It was a frustrating first hour for the tourists as they created big problems for both batsmen, but failed to get either out.

The tension eased a little when left-arm spinner Venkat-apati Raju replaced Srinath. He found little spin and his slow deliveries caused the batsman few problems. Stewart cracking a short wide delivery in Raju's second over straight to the boundary.

Atherton brought up his 29th half-century in Tests with a top-edge off Prasad down to the fine leg boundary, his seventh four of the innings.

England's 100 was brought up in the next over, and both players then began to settle in and play more fluently against Raju and leg-spinner Anil Kumble.

On Friday. England fought back late on the second day surviving an awkward 11 overs without losing a wicket to be 32 without loss, after India had amassed 521 all out in their first innings.

Captain Mike Atherton and Alec Stewart- kept strokeplay to a minimum and blunted any Indian thoughts of evening surrender as the pair set off in search of. 322 to save the follow on.- Atherton was 21 not out and Stewart (10 not out) at the close.

In Javagal Srinath's second over Atherton was dropped In the slips by Tendulkar before scoring.

England bowled well with a degree of luck and even, though thf Indian total js a formidable one. the wicket remains a featherbed, both benign and flat.

But-if England fail to drop anchor on Saturday and are pressed to follow-on — after a rest day Sunday — the wicket is likely to suit the Indian spinners as the series draws to,

a conclusion.

Earlier in day. a ninthwicket 60-run partnership between Rahul Dravid and Venkat Prasad helped India to their commanding total

Prasad joined Dravid at the crease at 453 for eight after India had suffered a middleorder collapse going from 367 for three at lunch to 453 for seven at tea.

Dravid, who scored 95 in his first Test at Lord's, assumed the leading role and took every opportunity to score runs. He frustrated the English bowlers who had been in the field for nearly two whole days chasing balls hit around the ground by the likes of century-makers Saurav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.

Dravid, who was 36 not out at tea having taken to the slow bowling of Min Patel before the final break, timed and placed his scoring shots perfectly as he hurriedly ptished India's total toward 500.

His eighth boundary, a punishing mid-on drive off feft-arm«r' Alan Mullally, brought up his half-century early in the last session while Prasad stole singles and avoided the strike whenever possible. *

It was even more frustrating for England when India's 500. and the ninth-wicket 50 partnership. was brought up after Chris Lewis, attempting to run Prasad obt. wound up throwing four overthrows.

Eventually, with the score on 513. Prasad was run out by Alec Stewart as he attempted to sneak a single for his 14th run.

With less than an hour's Elay remaining, Indian captain lohammed Azharuddin could have declared to give his bowlers a good chance of claiming some early English wickets in the evening. But Dravid was allowed to keep pushing towards what would nave been his first Test century.

On 84 he slashed and edged a Mark Ealham delivery and was caught by Jack Russell, ending India's innings at 521.

After the record-breaking 254-run partnership between Ganguly and Tendulkar on the first day. it was always likely

that India would knock up such a t»ig total

But in the third over of the day. Ganguly, still on 13&.

' drove loosely and hit htqj straight to Nasser Hussain in

• the gully making it 288 for three

After a tense morning session. the English maintained the pressure after lunch and debutant Ealham took his first Test wicket.

The Kent all rounder bowled Tendulkar a short delivery which hurried on to the Indian master, and instead of nulling it to the boundary, the batsman mishit a catch to Patel at mid-on making it 377 for four.

SCOREBOARD

Scoreboard on the second day of the third and final Test between England and India at Trent Bridge on Friday:

INDIA: First innings (overnight 287-2)

V Rathore c Russell b Cork 4

N Mongla c Russell b Lewis 9 S Ganguly c Hussain b Mullally 136 S Tendulkar c Patel b Ealhani 177 S Manfrekar c Hick b Patel 53 M Azharuddin c Patel b Lewis 5 R Dravid c Russell v Ealham 84 A Kumble lbw b Mullally 0

J Sruiath c Cork b Lewis 1

V Prasad run out 13

Raju not out I

Extras: (b-6. lb-12. w-7. nb-13) 38 Total: 521

Fall of wickets: 1-7. 2-53: 3-288. 4-377; 5-385: 6-446; 7-447; 8-453: 9-513.

Bowling O M R W

Lewis ’ 37 10 89 3

Cork 32 6 124 1

Mullally 40 12 88 2

Ealham 29 9 90 2

Patel 24 2 101 1

Hick 4 18 0

Thorpe 1 0 3 0

ENGLAND: First innings

M Atherton not out 21

A Stewart not out 10

Extras: (nb-1) 1

Total: (for no wicket) 32

To bat: N Hussain. G Thorpe. G . Hick. C Lewis. J Russell. M Ealham. D Cork. M Patel. A Mullally

Bowling (to date): O M R W

Srinath 6 .1 14 0

Prasad 4 1 .16 0

Kumble 10 2 0

(Incomplete)