Cricket:Another monumental performance from Rahul Dravid on the fourth day of the fourth Test at The Oval on Sunday delayed England's progress towards a series whitewash over India.
Dravid became the third Indian batsman to carry his bat in a Test with an unbeaten 146 compiled in six hours 19 minutes in his team’s 300 all out in reply to England’s 591 for six declared.
It was his 35th Test century and moved him ahead of his boyhood hero Sunil Gavaskar and West Indian Brian Lara in the all-time list behind Tendulkar (51), South Africa's Jacques Kallis (40) and Australian Ricky Ponting (39).
Not that he had much time to relish it as he was soon back in the middle after England enforced the follow-on and Dravid frustrated England for a further 55 minutes before departing caught for 13.
It was a shock that Dravid’s should be the first wicket to fall, albeit via a DRS procedure which was far from convincing.
Graeme Swann thought he had his man caught at bat-pad — and so it proved, despite Rod Tucker’s initial not-out verdict, no supporting Hotspot evidence and only a video-replay impression rather than proof of a thin edge.
Despite Dravid's heroics, England still need only seven wickets to win the series 4-0 on Monday's final day after India ended on for 129 for three, still trailing by 162.
Sachin Tendulkar, who received another standing ovation in what may his last Test innings in England, was unbeaten on 35.