Cricket:England struggled to tackle India's formidable batting line-up as they attempted to preserve their unbeaten home Test record at the Brit Oval.
Trailing 1-0 in the Test series following their seven-wicket defeat at Trent Bridge, England were desperate to make a flying start to the decider and maintain an unbeaten home series record stretching back to 2001.
But after captain Michael Vaughan lost the toss to rival Rahul Dravid, England struggled to make any impression as the tourists raced to 117 for one by lunch on the opening day.
Perhaps encouraged by the extra bounce in the wicket, England's attack struggled to restrict India's batsmen after they took 21 balls to get off the mark.
Cautious at first and happy to leave any delivery wide of the stumps, India opened up from the moment Wasim Jaffer cut Lancashire seamer James Anderson through gully for four to register the first runs of the match.
Three balls later he pushed off the front foot down the ground for another boundary and the tone was set for the morning session with Anderson being withdrawn from the attack after his first three overs cost 19 runs - including an uppercut for six from Jaffer.
While Jaffer was happy to seize on anything loose, Dinesh Karthik was more conservative and did not register his first boundary until the 12th over of the day from Hampshire seamer Chris Tremlett, who passed a late fitness test on a sore shoulder to retain his place.
Tremlett had already had an appeal for lbw denied earlier in the over and three overs later Karthik made the most of his escape by driving through the covers for four.
The pair brought up their half-century partnership in only 81 balls but England finally made the breakthrough after the drinks break.
Just four balls after the break England set a trap which Jaffer fell right into by attempting to uppercut an Anderson short delivery again, only this time he picked out Kevin Pietersen at third man.
It was a bonus for England's attack who, with the exception of left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom, had struggled for penetration, but it was to be their last moment of celebration before lunch.
New batsman Dravid, who has scored only 59 runs so far in the series, quickly settled into his role and had reached an unbeaten 25 by lunch while his partner was ominously placed on 50.