Cricket:England were left contemplating a heavy first-innings deficit against India in the second npower Test at Trent Bridge this afternoon.
Having been dismissed for 198 in the opening session of the second day, England failed to part Indian openers in a frustrating two-hour spell either side of lunch.
Dinesh Karthik, whose half-century came from 95 deliveries, and Wasim Jaffer trimmed the difference between the teams to exactly 100, riding their luck in the process.
Karthik drove just short of James Anderson, positioned at short extra-cover to the medium pace of Paul Collingwood, when on 29 and Jaffer was put down by Ian Bell, who failed to grasp a left-handed chance at gully, off Chris Tremlett, when on 32.
Both batsmen were fortunate to survive confident lbw shouts from left-arm spinner Monty Panesar.
His very first delivery from the pavilion end had Karthik in a muddle sweeping but umpire Ian Howell declined the appeal despite television replays highlighting the ball would have hit halfway up middle-stump.
Panesar's frustration then got the better of him in his next over as an animated appeal against Jaffer resulted in the bowler jumping up and down, clapping his hands under the batsman's nose.
Earlier it took the Indians just three-quarters-of-an-hour to wrap up the England tail, after Michael Vaughan's team resumed on 169 for seven.
England lost Tremlett in the fifth over of the second morning as ball continued to dominate bat.
Tremlett lived dangerously against wrist-spinner Anil Kumble, one googly somehow missing everything on its way through for four byes.
A similar delivery, however, accounted for the eighth wicket as the giant Tremlett groped forward and was bowled through the gate.
Fellow tail-ender Ryan Sidebottom looked more assured, driving boundaries through mid-on and extra-cover off Kumble, after taking 18 deliveries to get off the mark.
But he was left with just James Anderson for company after Monty Panesar failed to make the most of a life.
Left-hander Panesar survived what looked a nailed-on leg before decision against Zaheer Khan before slicing to second slip off the same bowler.
Anderson perished when he attempted to late cut a delivery from Kumble from off the stumps and was bowled.
Having come so close to victory at Lord's earlier this week, Vaughan's team were forced on to the back foot due to the wet weather in the midlands, which provided perfect bowling conditions on a shortened first day.