Fielding lapses allow England to reach 400; Sreesunth grabs 4

Mumbai, Mar 19 (UNI) Fielding lapses cost India dearly as England took up their first innings total to a respectable 400 before being bowled out half-an-hour before tea on the second day of the third and final Test at the Wankhede stadium here today.

By tea, India had reached eight for no loss with Virender Sehwag on five and Wasim Jaffer on three at the crease.

India is leading the series 1-0.

It was, however, India's fielding lapses which allowed England to reach the score of 400 with the fielders grassing as many as three catches, two of them off Andrew Flintoff early in the morning session.

Resuming at their overnight score of 272 for three, England stand-in captain Andrew Flintoff took the attack to the opposition begining with a square driven boundary off Munaf Patel.

Patel, who bowled with great pace and fire, however, was unlucky as Flintoff was let off twice in successive balls, once by Sehwag at second slip and then by Anil Kumble at gully. The batsman was then on 29 and the team score 298 for three.

Flintoff took full advantage of this, hooking Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel for huge sixes over fine-leg as England pressed on to amass a big score.

However, Sreesunth was introduced late in the morning session and he immediately struck, getting Paul Collingwood, giving Flintoff a great stand with a ball that held its line and found the outside edge through the keeper Dhoni. Collingwood made 31 with three boundaries when he was out with the team's score reading 326 for four.

In the next over Kumble struck an important blow as Flintoff after reaching his 50 tried to clear deep mid-wicket only to give a simple catch to Sachin Tendulkar. Flintoff's 50 came in 85 balls with six boundaries and three sixes.

Sreesunth then got G Jones caught at gully for one to leave England on 333 for six.

Munaf Patel then struck in the fourth over after lunch trapping Shaun Udal in front of the wicket for nine and then sending Matthew Hoggard's off stump cartwheeling the very next ball to be on a hat-trick as England slumped to 356 for 8.

However, Owais Shah, who had retired hurt due to cramps at tea on the first morning, continued to-impress in his debut Test as he farmed the bowling to take maximum strike. He added 29 runs for the ninth wicket with James Anderson before a superb diving catch at first slip by Rahul Dravid of Harbhajan Singh saw him depart 12 short of a much deserved debut century. Shah's 88 came in 163 balls and was laced with 13 boundaries and a six.

Harbhajan then got the last man Anderson caught at forward short leg or 15 to bring the innings to a close.

Playing their second Test, Sreesunth and Munaf Patel were the most impressive of the bowlers with the former getting four wickets, and the latter returning with figures of two for 81.

Harbhajan Singh came back to polish the tail thus taking his wicket tally in this innings to three wickets.

Indian openers played out the five overs before tea without any problem reaching eight for no loss.

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