elsiabarton: LIVE: India v England, day four, first Test, Ahmedabad

By Chris Cutmore

PUBLISHED: 17:30 EST, 17 November 2012 | UPDATED: 06:07 EST, 18 November 2012

Stay up to date with all the action on day four of the first Test between England and India with?Sportsmail's unrivalled team. We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the action unfolds in Ahmedabad while our brilliant team of writers update with their insights from the ground. Contact me on Twitter via:?@Chris_Cutmore or e-mail your thoughts to Chris.Cutmore@dailymail.co.uk

India v England: Essentials

India: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Dhoni (capt & wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Pragyan Ojha.

England: Alastair Cook (capt), Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Samit Patel, Matt Prior (wk), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson.

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Tony Hill (New Zealand).

Referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka).

India first innings: 521-8 dec

England first innings: 191

Click here for a full scorecard?

PICTURE DISPUTE:

We are unable to carry live pictures from the First Test in Ahmedabad due to a dispute between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and international news organisations. The BCCI has refused access to Test venues to established picture agencies Getty Images and Action Images and other Indian photographic agencies. MailOnline consider this action to be a strike against? press freedom and supports the action to boycott BCCI imagery.???

AT STUMPS ON DAY FOUR ENGLAND LEAD INDIA BY 10 RUNS WITH FIVE SECOND-INNINGS WICKETS IN HAND

128th over: England 340-5 (Cook 168 Prior 84)

Last over of the day to be bowled by Ojha, who has probably deserved more than his solitary wicket this innings. Prior sees it out for a closing maiden. What a rearguard by Prior and, in particular England's captain marvel, Alastair Cook. The visitors lead by 10 runs but this pair have given their team a chance to save this Test match. But there's plenty more batting needed tomorrow for that to happen. Don't mention Headingley 1981 just yet, but thoughts may just drift back to Brisbane in 2010 should England survive unscathed until lunch on Monday.

127th over: England 340-5 (Cook 168 Prior 84)

Prior steps out of his crease to face Zaheer - taking lbw out of play is presumably the plan - and swivels to crack a pull away as the bowler drops short. Just a single though. Zaheer over the wicket to Cook now, but England's skipper just watches the ball fly harmlessly past off stump. England lead by 10.

126th over: England 339-5 (Cook 168 Prior 83)

Just 10 minutes' play left today, and we'll probably exceed the 90 overs minimum to be bowled, which is always nice. Yadav is brought back as Indian turn to an all-seam attack. Prior looks to be a little too far from his hundred to reach the milestone tonight, and he is denied a boundary by a sprawling stop at midwicket.

125th over: England 337-5 (Cook 167 Prior 82)

Dhoni flings the ball to Zaheer for a final burst. India's captain has looked somewhat toothless in the face of this batting masterclass. But then this pitch is pretty much brown bread. The wily old 34-year-old tries all his tricks, angles and variations but can't force a breakthrough.

124th over: England 335-5 (Cook 166 Prior 81)

No dramas for Cook and Prior, who have ridden out the Indian surge of the last hour. Maiden from Ojha. England lead by five.

123rd over: England 335-5 (Cook 166 Prior 81)

One more to Cook's total, the umpteenth single nudged to leg in his epic innings. He now has scored Test centuries in Nagpur, Galle, Dhaka, Chittagong and Ahmedabad. Ashwin is still wicketless in this innings, which is also rather remarkable.

Unbeaten: Cook passed 150 on Sunday afternoon

122nd over: England 334-5 (Cook 165 Prior 81)

England are in the lead! Great fightback from the visitors, led by captain Cook, but they'll have to pile on plenty more if they want to save this Test match. Prior biffs FOUR through the covers before adding to Ojha's misery by clattering through the off side again for FOUR more.

121st over: England 325-5 (Cook 164 Prior 73)

They'll have to hurry here! But they're home safely. Prior sweeps fine to Sachin and his bullet arm threatens a run out, but Cook gets his skates on and dashes home for a second run. Cook now has the fourth-highest score by a visiting captain in India. The highest belongs to Clive Lloyd, who hit 242 in Mumbai in 1975.

120th over: England 322-5 (Cook 163 Prior 71)

Prior is so strong square on the off side and he punishes Ojha for drifting wide with a cut for FOUR.

Here's some food for thought: England have followed on five times before against India and avoided defeat twice, at Kanpur in 1962 and the Oval in 1990.

119th over: England 316-5 (Cook 162 Prior 66)

Finally England notch a couple more runs as Cook drives out into the deep for a single and Prior gets a delivery on his pads to work into the leg side for another.

118th over: England 314-5 (Cook 161 Prior 65)

Lovely drift into the right-handed Prior followed by sharp spin away from the bat which takes the edge - this is a masterclass from Ojha but he fails to get his man again as ball drops safely to earth. Another maiden. Something's got to give...

117th over: England 314-5 (Cook 161 Prior 65)

The spinners are starting to make things happen now, and the cauldron is bubbling. Ashwin beats the bat this time in a probing maiden. Can England cool things down? Captain Cook sets about doing just that, blocking out the rest of the over.

116th over: England 314-5 (Cook 161 Prior 65)

And that's another devil of a ball, a spitting cobra that leapt off the pitch and into Cook's shoulder. That came from nowhere and if a few more balls fly like that then batting last on this pitch could yet be tricky. Oh, and that's out! Surely! Prior trapped in front with bat and pad together... no! Umpire Dar shakes his head! That's a huge slice of good fortune for England, the ball was going on to hit the middle of middle stump. He must have been unsure whether the ball his bat or pad first. Ojha unlucky - he's the man who could yet skittle England quickly here.

115th over: England 313-5 (Cook 160 Prior 65)

Prior hoovers up Ashwin's mess as the off-spinner sends down a full toss and the batsman punches down the ground for FOUR. Wow, but that's a brute! The ball spinning and bouncing down the leg side and past, yet again, Dhoni's flailing gloves for two byes.

Time for a drink out in the middle, just under an hour's play to go. England trail by just 17 runs now. Can this pair remain unbeaten at the close? If so, you never know what might happen tomorrow. But it's far too early to be mentioning Headingley and 1981 just yet. Oh dear, looks like I did just mention it!

114th over: England 307-5 (Cook 160 Prior 61)

Yuvraj tumbles on top of the ball with all the grace of a sack of King Edwards but somehow gets the job done and saves three runs after Prior clips to midwicket.

113th over: England 306-5 (Cook 160 Prior 60)

Now Ashwin sends down a maiden, pressure building slightly. Decent bounce too, which surprises Cook and beats his bat. Field spread wide now for England's captain, who has been imperious today.

112th over: England 306-5 (Cook 160 Prior 60)

Maiden from Ojha but another close call from Prior, propping forward and seeing the ball whistle past his outside edge.

111th over: England 306-5 (Cook 160 Prior 60)

Here's the whirling dervish back into the attack as Ashwin is thrown the ball. His captain could do with a breakthrough even if India are still miles in front in this game. There's been more singles than a decent speed-dating night in this pair's combined innings, and four more keep the scoreboard ticking very nicely.

110th over: England 302-5 (Cook 158 Prior 58)

100 partnership and 300 up for England. Which begs the question: why couldn't they have done this earlier? Top class batting from Cook and Prior, and it continues as the No 7 punishes an Ojha long-hop and pulls for FOUR.

109th over: England 296-5 (Cook 157 Prior 53)

Zaheer comes back into the attack as? Dhoni changes things up again. But he is sent to the boundary for FOUR with a nice pull shot to the long leg boundary.

Top knock: Prior hit a half-century to keep England in the game

108th over: England 292-5 (Cook 153 Prior 53)

A quick single for Cook as he places a shot from Yuvraj down the leg side and then Prior picks up two with a shot behind square.

107th over: England 289-5 (Cook 152 Prior 51)

Cook retains the strike with a single off the final ball of Khan's over. India may start to get frustrated having not taken a wicket for some time.

106th over: England 288-5 (Cook 151 Prior 51)

And there it is

150 FOR ALASTAIR COOK

Cook off the back foot places a shot through point for two, although today is not really about personal milestones, as good as they are, it is about digging in, and that is what these two are doing at the moment. The extra half an hour is available to India should they feel they can finish England off today, but Cook and Prior will be looking to take the game into a fifth and final day.

105th over: England 285-5 (Cook 148 Prior 51)

Cook edges closer to his next significant landmark with a nice drive through cover-point for FOUR. The England captain really is leading by example.

104th over: England 274-5 (Cook 143 Prior 51)

50 FOR MATT PRIOR

Top knock from England's No 7 - surely the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the world. Just what the doctor ordered for England but his work is far from over. His half-century came from 109 balls and contained five fours. It's his 23rd in Test cricket.

103rd over: England 274-5 (Cook 140 Prior 48)

Someone should tell Zaheer that he needs the ball to bowl. The left-armer steams in but somehow drops the ball before his delivery stride to leave Cook nonplussed. Perhaps it's part of a devilish plan, but then maybe not. England's skipper carves another easy single as his marvellous innings continues. His team-mates must look and learn: this is how to bat on the Subcontinent.

102nd over: England 271-5 (Cook 139 Prior 46)

Is that pastry I can smell? It must be because it's everyone's favourite pie-chucker, Yuvraj, coming on for a trundle. Sadly KP's already back in the hutch so those two can't resume their rivalry, but this could get tasty. Prior clips through point for two then picks up two more with a mis-hit drive.

101st over: England 266-5 (Cook 139 Prior 41)

We're back, Zaheer with ball in hand, Cook on strike...

... and it's a fine start for Cook as he clips into the leg side for a single. Prior follows suit and cracks away a single of his own on the opposite side of the wicket.

AT TEA ON DAY FOUR ENGLAND TRAIL INDIA BY 66 RUNS WITH FIVE SECOND INNINGS WICKETS IN HAND

Lawrence Booth, Sportsmail's cricket writer and editor of Wisden, reports from Ahmedabad:

Let?s hear it, while this game is still going on, for Alastair Cook. While many of his team-mates have unwittingly complicated the task of batting against spin in India, England?s new captain has simply got on with the job. He has worked the singles, clattered the bad ball, and exuded a calm that ? if his colleagues have been paying attention ? can still serve them well in the three Tests that remain.

Cook now has 21 Test hundreds, and five of them have been in Asia: at Nagpur (on debut), Galle, Dhaka, Chittagong and now Ahmedabad. He is not generally chalked down as one of England?s better players of spin, but perhaps it?s because ostentation does not form part of his game. His Test average in Asia is now 54; Kevin Pietersen?s is 36.

Quietly, he has put together one of England?s great Test hundreds, and he has enjoyed the company of Matt Prior, who survived some skittish moments shortly before tea to remind everyone why Pietersen once declared him this team?s best player of spin.

Ironically, then, the two wickets England have lost in this session were in successive balls to late-dipping yorkers from Umesh Yadav. It?s hard to blame Ian Bell or Samit Patel for their demise, although both will leave this game with thoughts to mull over.

Bell flies home at the end of it to attend the birth of his first child and will miss Mumbai, which leaves open the possibility that we will not see him again in this series. And Patel, after looking positively regal during the warm-ups, has now been sawn off cheaply twice ? even if he should have been given out in the first innings before he eventually was. Any calls to drop him from the second Test must be resisted.

100th over: England 264-5 (Cook 138 Prior 40)

Last over before tea, Prior on strike, three men around the bat on the off side. Ojha over the wicket now. Prior survives by the skin of his teeth. Maiden.

99th over: England 264-5 (Cook 138 Prior 40)

Cook - yes, he is still batting - edges short of slip. This pitch is d-e-a-d. But England's captain gets two more with a drive through the covers.

Lone furrow: England captain Cook remained unbeaten at tea

98th over: England 262-5 (Cook 136 Prior 40)

Ojha is really probing here, flight and guile - and the pace taken right off giving the ball every chance of spinning. Prior keeps trying to have a go but a combination of good close Indian fielding and over-ambition keeps England's wicketkeeper under the pump.

97th over: England 261-5 (Cook 135 Prior 40)

Blimey, it's getting jumpy out there! The Indian spinners fancy their chances of getting Prior here, they're hopping about, appealing like mad, the crowd are getting worked up and England are clinging on.

96th over: England 261-5 (Cook 135 Prior 40)

Howzat?! No, nothing doing, Prior survives again. Inside edge. tea can't come soon enough right now.

95th over: England 260-5 (Cook 135 Prior 39)

Ouch! Prior sweeps hard at Ashwin and the ball clatters straight into short leg's ankle - I think that's Pujara under the helmet there. He's made of strong stuff though and just gets on with things - no magic sponge for this hard nut!

94th over: England 258-5 (Cook 134 Prior 38)

And again Ojha has Prior in trouble! Ojha tosses one up again and finds big turn, the batsman prods forward and edges to first slip, but just short! Nervy times for Prior.

93rd over: England 256-5 (Cook 133 Prior 37)

Now it's Ashwin's turn to make Prior sweat, beating his bat outside off. India throwing a two-pronged spin attack at this pair now.

92nd over: England 254-5 (Cook 132 Prior 36)

But Prior can't rest on his laurels - the dangerman, Ojha, is back on and very nearly gets his man. The right-hander steps back and looks to cut but Ojha finds some extra bounce to deceive his man.

91st over: England 253-5 (Cook 131 Prior 36)

Prior really is a top player of spin, using his feet this time to Ashwin and clipping two through square leg. England trail by 76. Another hour of Prior and that'll be all but gone.

90th over: England 250-5 (Cook 130 Prior 34)

Oh dear! More Indian misfielding gifts Prior four as Zaheer tumbles but can't stop a cut at backward point. 50 partnership between Prior and Cook, off 75 balls too, a good lick.

89th over: England 244-5 (Cook 129 Prior 29)

Decent innings from Prior, this - but it must be just the start of something as far as England are concerned. Both Trott and Bell made promising starts but ultimately failed. The Sussex man collects another couple of singles, and Cook follows suit, off Zaheer.

88th over: England 240-5 (Cook 127 Prior 27)

Ashwin, arms whirling above his head like an exotic dancer (one that keeps their clothes on, mind) nearly prises Cook from the crease with a lovely flighted delivery. But this is better from Prior, who skips down the track and lofts the off-spinner over midwicket for four. Great shot.

87th over: England 234-5 (Cook 126 Prior 22)

It's a double change in the attack as Zaheer is brought back in. He looks as grumpy as ever after Prior swishes wildly outside off and misses, before the batsman crunches a cover drive that is cut off by the sweeper for two. The wily old left-armer's using all of his tricks here though, and a slower ball nearly has Prior punching to mid off. And now Zaheer's leaping around, imploring for leg-before after a beauty of an inswinger from around the wicket. Umpire Hill says no - inside edge on that one.

86th over: England 230-5 (Cook 125 Prior 19)

Cook cracks a single off Ashwin to backward point and England now trail by 100 runs. Right then, quickly knock those off, build a lead of 200 or so then skittle India in the final session for a 1-0 series lead - simple, right? Anyone? No?

85th over: England 229-5 (Cook 124 Prior 19)

Yadav steams in again, Prior clipping a single to square leg as the bowler pitches it up again. He's taken his two wickets with full, swinging deliveries. If the pitch is dead then the way to beat batsmen is in the air - and he's done just that, in complete contrast to England's one-dimensional, line and length seamers. Four singles from the over.

84th over: England 225-5 (Cook 122 Prior 17)

Ojha gets a dart at Prior, men all around the bat, and rips a big turner past Priors flashing blade. They run a bye as Dhoni fails to collect, not for the first time. Maiden.

83rd over: England 224-5 (Cook 122 Prior 17)

Four for Prior, Yadav spearing it into his pads and watching as the ball is clipped fine to the fence. That forces India to take the new ball and Prior licks his lips at the extra bounce on the ball as he lashes through the covers for four more.

82nd over: England 212-5 (Cook 122 Prior 8)

A gift from Yuvraj at midwicket as a misfield hands Prior two more. No sign of that new nut just yet.

81st over: England 212-5 (Cook 122 Prior 5)

Now Prior's up and running, that cut shot bringing four through point after Yadav drifts wide of off stump. Finally Cook is forced into an edge as the bowler fires the ball down from wide on the crease, over the wicket. But Cook's hands are soft and the ball drops short of a diving slip.

Hopes fading: Can Matt Prior rescue England in the first Test?

80th over: England 206-5 (Cook 122 Prior 0)

Captain Cook plunders four more off Ojha with a razor-sharp cut. But Prior nearly hands the left-armer another wicket as he backs off and aims a cut at a ball perhaps not wide enough for the shot, and misses. still not yet off the mark, is England's wicketkeeper. New ball now available.

79th over: England 201-5 (Cook 117 Prior 0)

Cook faces Yadav's hat-trick ball... and survives! It was a decent ball though, full of grunt outside off and finding some extra bounce. England's captain thinks about fencing at it, but wisely leaves well alone.

78th over: England 200-5 (Cook 115 Prior 0)

Cook must be wondering what on earth is going on down the other end - it's more serene progress from him with a single off Ojha. 200 up for the visitors but they still trail by 130 runs.

77th over: England 199-5 (Cook 114 Prior 0)

Yadav's back. Sweet timing from Bell whose forward defensive manages to penetrate the gap between bowler and mid on, and he runs two.

WICKET!!! Bell lbw Yadav 22

Well, what can you say about that? The new ball is just around the corner but, just when it looked like he as starting to settle down, Bell departs. Yadav can consider himself fortunate to get the decision - the ball was just clipping leg stump - but Bell was beaten all ends up. That completes a miserable Test for the man who will miss the match in Mumbai.

WICKET!!! Patel lbw Yadav 0

He's gone first ball! England in ruins here, staring at a crushing defeat now. Patel is not impressed at all - and with good reason - he got an inside edge on that. This is what the technology is for. But the frankly ridiculous Indian board won't have any of that. Imagine if Sachin had got that decision? Yadav on a hat-trick!

76th over: England 196-3 (Cook 114 Bell 20)

Bell starting to build an innings here, his hard work in defence paying off as the returning Ojha offers some filth, which the batsman cracks away through point for four easy runs.

75th over: England 191-3 (Cook 113 Bell 16)

Zaheer continues from round the wicket to Bell, who survives a half-hearted leg before shout before pushing two through the covers.

Bell must play this innings like the croc in Neverland (bear with me here). But, unlike his namesake, hearing that scoreboard keep tick, tick, ticking along will be music to captain Cook's ears.

74th over: England 187-3 (Cook 112 Bell 13)

Bell is tempted to throw the bat outside off and is lucky to survive an injudicious swipe. Ashwin sinks to his knees in frustration. The right-hander gets himself out of the firing line unconvincingly, misreading the flicked carrom ball but nicking to point.

73rd over: England 185-3 (Cook 111 Bell 12)

Bell grabs his first run after luncheon with a single off Zaheer before Cook nudges and runs a terrific single to mid on, the fieldsman was on his heels there and England's captain took full advantage.

72nd over: England 183-3 (Cook 110 Bell 11)

Dhoni continues to mix things up by throwing the ball to Ashwin again. England will be breathing a sigh of relief that Ojha's out of the attack. Another maiden. Pressure building.

71st over: England 183-3 (Cook 110 Bell 11)

The new ball's just 10 overs away but Zaheer is brought back to have a dart with the old nut. His seven overs so far have gone for just nine runs. Cook nicks a single but Zaheer's keeping the scoring drier than Jack Dee in an airing cupboard.

70th over: England 182-3 (Cook 109 Bell 11)

Not the most encouraging start from Bell as he misses out twice, hitting short balls straight to the fieldsmen in the ring on the offside, and then prodding forward and missing a slow turner from Ojha, the dangerman. Maiden.

Just waking up? Well, you probably won't be surprised to hear that England are right up against it after losing three wickets this morning. The good news is that captain Cook is still going strong. But he needs support or this Test match could be done and dusted by the end of play today.

The Indian team and two batsmen are back on the field. Let's play!

AT LUNCH ON DAY FOUR, ENGLAND TRAIL INDIA BY 148 RUNS WITH SEVEN SECOND-INNINGS WICKETS IN HAND

Lawrence Booth, Sportsmail's cricket writer and editor of Wisden, reports from Ahmedabad:

When England resumed their second innings this morning on 111 without loss, still 219 behind India, they knew they could not afford to lose more than three wickets in the entire day, maybe four. In the event, they have lost three before lunch, a session in which only the outstanding Alastair Cook showed the nous necessary to survive.

Nick Compton looked nervous before ? an accident waiting to happen ? he was trapped in the seventh over by Zaheer Khan, while Jonathan Trott got a good one from Pragyan Ojha that turned and kissed the outside edge. These things happen.

But Kevin Pietersen was left to reflect on the fact that reintegration may be a trickier business than he imagined. For the second time in the game, he was bowled by Ojha essaying something extravagant, which means he has now lost his wicket to a slow left-armer in Tests on 25 occasions. Sorry, Kev: facts are facts.

Pietersen boasted in his autobiography that Shane Warne would never bowl him round his legs. Then came Adelaide 2006-07. This felt similar, but in one sense it was more remarkable: Ojha was bowling round the wicket, and from wide of the crease. The degree of turn was eye-popping, even if Pietersen opened himself up to the possibility by moving across his stumps.

Regardless, England are now left hoping that Cook and Ian Bell, who has survived some hairy moments of his own against Ojha, can bat until tea and beyond. Realistically, we?re looking at 1-0 to India.

69th over: England 182-3 (Cook 109 Bell 11)

Ashwin to bowl the final over before the break, and Cook helps himself to three more through midwicket, he's so strong in that area. Bell trots a single and Cook blocks out the final ball. Time for a well-earned break, Alastair. But England remain well adrift of their hosts.

68th over: England 178-3 (Cook 106 Bell 10)

Oooooh, Bell's in trouble here! Ojha spins one past his groping bat and the ball flicks the back pad in front of middle stump and the Indians scream an appeal... but it's not out! Umpire Dar says no, but why? That looked plumb? Dhoni took the catch behind the wicket but bat did not graze ball. Did it pitch outside leg? Great decision if so. Maiden.

67th over: England 178-3 (Cook 106 Bell 10)

It's spin, spin, sugar as Ashwin returns. But that's not sweet news for England's battle-scarred batsmen. Cook's got one eye on the lunch break - just five minutes to go. Maiden.

66th over: England 178-3 (Cook 106 Bell 10)

Ojha certainly looks the dangerman for England again, but Bell smothers his latest efforts. Maiden.

65th over: England 178-3 (Cook 106 Bell 10)

Cook, in contrast to his hapless team-mates, is making this all look like a doddle. Another sweetly-timed clip into the leg side finds the gap at midwicket and rolls away for four. Whoops, have i spoken too soon? Cook pads up outside off stump as Yadav spears it in from round the wicket - this is the angle from which? Cook, like so many left-handers, can look uncomfortable. Umpire Hill isn't having it, however.

64th over: England 174-3 (Cook 102 Bell 10)

Cook, by the way, now has three centuries in five innings spread over this Test match (his first as permanent skipper) and the series in Bangladesh in 2010.

63rd over: England 173-3 (Cook 101 Bell 10)

Short, wide, four. Bell cashes in on Yadav's rubbish, cutting with ease to the third man rope. But that's much better from the bowler, nipping one back into Bell's thigh pad and there's a muted shout for a catch at slip. And now there's hands on heads as Bell misses and the ball shaves the off stump. And finally he offers up a half-volley, which Bell misses out on. Rather a mixed bag, that.

62nd over: England 168-3 (Cook 100 Bell 6)

Watchful from Bell, ignoring the tempter floated up outside off stump from Ojha. Maiden.

Captain marvel: Cook hit his 21st Test ton

61st over: England 168-3 (Cook 100 Bell 6)

HUNDRED FOR COOK!

That's the spirit, Cookie! A nudged two to leg seals a terrific knock from England's captain - it's his 21st Test ton and fifth on the Subcontinent - that's the most by any England batsman.

Cooks milestone comes up in 181 balls, with 16 fours.

Right, can anyone hang around with Cook long enough to rescue this for England?

60th over: England 166-3 (Cook 98 Bell 6)

WICKET!!! Pietersen b Ojha 2

Why can't one of the greatest batsmen in world cricket play left-arm spin? This is Dr Who stuff - watch it from behind your sofa or between your fingers or something - just shield your eyes. KP tries to sweep and is bowled round his legs. Awful, abysmal stuff. England now deep in the mire. Effectively they're minus 170 for three.

Ian Bell at the crease now, on a king pair. His first ball squirts off the edge. But that's a beautiful way to get off the mark - a trademark cover drive for four. And he gets two more, again driven through cover.

59th over: England 160-2 (Cook 98 Pietersen 1)

Muffled shout from Yadav against KP as the ball reverses into the pads. Horrible swipe to a short ball brings the batsman a single to square leg. KP's arrival seems to have woken the crowd up at last, pantomime build-up and oooohs following each ball, great stuff.

58th over: England 158-2 (Cook 97 Pietersen 1)

WICKET!!! Trott c Dhoni b Ojha 17

Another one bites the dust! Trott has looked in fine touch but his horrible run continues with a regulation dismissal for the left-arm spinner. Ojha gets one to grip and turn and Trott can only edge behind. Easy as pie. After a decent start this morning, England are in trouble now. And, guess what, here comes KP against left-arm spin...

Boy, do England need a big innings from Pietersen now. He's off the mark with a trademark Red Bull run to mid on.

Apologies everyone, we've had gremlins in the system for the last few overs. But here's how the action unfolded while we were away...

57th over: England 156-1 (Cook 96 Trott 17)

Dhoni has turned back to pace in his search for the breakthrough as Umesh Yadav gets his first trundle of the day. Impeccable stuff from Cook as he hops back into his crease and flicks to the midwicket boundary for four more. His hundred is just one hit away now...

56th over: England 152-1 (Cook 92 Trott 17)

One more for Cook before Trott unfurls the sweep to Ashwin - but of a Tom Cruise shot that (risky business) with leg before brought into play - but he times this one well. Whoa, where's that one come from? Cook misses a big turner that beats bat and keeper and nips away for two byes.

55th over: England 147-1 (Cook 90 Trott 16)

Ojha resumes after the drinks break and Trott looks suitably refreshed by his beverage. A perfectly-timed drive beats the man at cover and zips away for four.

54th over: England 143-1 (Cook 90 Trott 12)

There's no time for fussing and fighting for Cook as he calmly blocks out another over from Ashwin. England's captain leading from the front in this rearguard. That's the first hour out of the way with England having lost just the wicket of Compton to Zaheer.

53rd over: England 143-1 (Cook 90 Trott 12)

Cook resists hammering a juicy full toss from Ojha but picks up another single to jog into the 90s. Four more for Trott as the left-armer drops one short and wide, England's No 3 rocks back and cuts hard to the boundary.

52nd over: England 137-1 (Cook 88 Trott 8)

It's spin from both ends now as Ashwin twirls away again. One more for Captain Cook. The real test starts now for Trott, with silly mid off, leg slip and short leg all in around the bat.

51st over: England 137-1 (Cook 88 Trott 8)

Zaheer takes a well-earned rest as Pragyan Ojha is thrown the ball. The left-arm spinner was the main threat in the first innings, taking five wickets. Trott reads his arm ball and runs two.

50th over: England 135-1 (Cook 88 Trott 6)

Four singles help England keep the scoreboard ticking over nicely, and Trott appears to be settling down nicely.

49th over: England 131-1 (Cook 86 Trott 4)

Oh ho! A bouncer! Not much value in that ball from Zaheer, I fancy. Maiden. Cricinfo are reporting that Gautam Gambhir's grandmother has died and India's opener has flown off to Delhi. His team may not need to bat again in this match but if they do his position in the order will be affected depening on how long he is off the field.

48th over: England 131-1 (Cook 86 Trott 4)

One more for Trott, England trail by less than 200 now. Which is something... But effectively they are minus 199 for one.

Rearguard: Alastair Cook offered some resistance to India on day four in Ahmedabad

47th over: England 130-1 (Cook 86 Trott 3)

Relief for Trott as he escapes the pair with a clip into the leg side for two as Zaheer strays onto the pads. Meat and drink for a batsman of his class. Frankly, India would be mad to persist with Zaheer for too long at Trott, as well as he might be bowling. The Warwickshire right-hander looks princely against the medium pacers. Against spin in the first innings he looked more like Prince might with a bat in his tiny hands.

46th over: England 127-1 (Cook 86 Trott 0)

The mood's changed out in the middle now, there's little yelps of tension and expectation after each ball from the close fielders right in under the batsman's helmet. Cook's not having any of it though and sweeps hard for four.

45th over: England 123-1 (Cook 82 Trott 0)

Life's looking pretty uncomfortable for Compton out there. The Somerset opener is digging in and fighting for his life but I'm not quite sure where his scoring areas are. Zaheer, going round the wicket and wide on the crease, has him in a right tizz with another beauty that nips back in off the seam, and the batsman misses completely. Fortunately for him, so do the ball and the stumps.

WICKET!!! Compton lbw Khan 37

But there's the breakthrough! Zaheer gets his man this time after changing the angle of attack to over the wicket. Compton's looked ill at ease all morning and he plays round a ball that straightens up a touch. Umpire Hill raises the finger. Was that ball pitching outside leg though? Nope, good decision and Compton's troubled stay is over.

Jonathan Trott is the new man in - and he's on a pair. Tough times for England, these.

44th over: England 123-0 (Cook 82 Compton 37)

Missed stumping! Oh, that's a shocker from MS Dhoni behind the stumps. As if to back up the point about Indian fielding, their captain lets Compton off with an absolute howler. Ashwin had him dancing down the track but beat the batsman in the flight. Compton was miles out of his ground but Dhoni didn't even get the gloves anyway near the cherry and Compton breathes again. Cook nicks two off his pads.

43rd over: England 120-0 (Cook 80 Compton 36)

Plenty of oohs and aahs in the field as Compton scampers through for a very tight single. Yuvraj Singh gathered the ball at point and shied at the stumps where Cook was hurtling through, and had he hit that would have been squeaky bum time. England's captain would have been gone had that hit, I fancy. But, talented and highly-skilled as this Indian side is, their fielding is not a strong suit.

42nd over: England 119-0 (Cook 80 Compton 35)

Howzat?! Ashwin screams for lbw against the right-handed Compton after a big offbreak beats the defensive prod, but that was doing too much and umpire Dar shakes the head. Compton pushes to cover and sets off on a quick single to trouble the scorer for the first time today.

41st over: England 116-0 (Cook 79 Compton 34)

Shot! Cook's up and running now, leaning back to cut past point for four precious runs. Zaheer threatens to hit back as he finds some sharp movement off the seam from over the wicket, the ball jagging back into Cook, but the batsman leaves it on length and is not troubled. This pitch is deader than a Victorian undertaker for the seamers.

40th over: England 112-0 (Cook 75 Compton 34)

Ravi Ashwin's off-breaks will resume the attack from the opposite end. Cook nudges a single into the leg side for the first run of the day.

39th over: England 111-0 (Cook 74 Compton 34)

And it's a maiden to kick things off as Compton remains watchful. Hint of reverse swing for the left-armer Zaheer.

3.55am: Now, you may not know this, but India actually DO have a fast bowler playing in this match. You wouldn't know it by watching most of England's dismal first innings collapse to spin, but the hosts do in fact have two quicks in their side. Yes, hard to believe, I know.

One of them, Zaheer Khan, is about to get us underway, Compton on strike, 34 not out...

3.50am: Morning, evening, night... whatever time of the day it is for you (and I'm not sure what on earth the time is here), welcome to day four of the first Test.

Right, hands strapped, gloves on, walk to the ring accompanied by dodgy music done... it's time for a scrap, England.

Alastair Cook and Nick Compton have battled their way to 111 for no loss in their second innings following on but remain a whopping 219 runs behind India.

And the trial by spin will continue relentless.