India on top as Dravid and Gambhir score centuries

MOHALI, India, Dec 20, 2008 (AFP) - India took charge of the second and final cricket Test against England here on Saturday after posting a commanding 453 in their first innings.

Rahul Dravid returned to form with a century and Gautam Gambhir completed 1,000 runs in the year as India survived a middle-order slump to leave England with a mountain to climb. The tourists, seeking a series-levelling win after losing the first Test in Chennai by six wickets, must not only put up a big total, but also give themselves enough time to bowl India out a second time.

England, who were due to bat nine overs before stumps, were unable to begin their reply as umpires Daryl Harper and Asad Rauf called off play due to fading light.

Dravid and Gambhir put on 314 for the second wicket after coming together at the dismissal of Virender Sehwag in the second over of the match on Friday. Dravid scored 136, his 26th Test century and the first in 20 innings since making 111 against South Africa in Chennai in March.

Left-handed Gambhir, who was on 106 overnight, went on to make 179 to take his tally this year to 1,037 runs from eight Tests at an average of 69.13. India were comfortably placed at 320-1 when England fought back with four quick wickets to reduce the hosts to 339-5 in the post-lunch session.

Dravid reached his hundred midway through the morning session by flicking James Anderson for a single to loud cheers from some 2,000 home fans and from his team-mates in the dressing room.

His effort will silence critics who had demanded his exclusion from the Test team after he managed just 342 runs in his last 10 matches at an average of 19. Dravid, the 131-Test veteran who turns 36 next month, said he was not unduly perturbed by the criticism.

INDIA - 1ST INNINGS
(overnight 179-1)
G. Gambhir c Cook b Swann	179
V. Sehwag c Prior b Broad	  0
R. Dravid c Panesar b Swann	136
S. Tendulkar lbw b Swann	 11
V. Laxman lbw b Flintoff	  0
Y. Singh c Prior b Panesar	 27
M. Dhoni c sub (Shah) b Anderson 29
H. Singh c Swann b Panesar	 24
Zaheer Khan b Flintoff	  	  7
A. Mishra b Flintoff	 	 23
I. Sharma not out	  	  1
Extras (b5, lb5, nb6)	 	 16
TOTAL				453
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-6 (Sehwag), 2-320 (Gambhir), 3-329 (Dravid), 4-337 (Tendulkar), 5-339 (Laxman), 
6-379 (Yuvraj), 7-418 (Dhoni), 8-418 (Harbhajan), 9-446 (Zaheer), 10-453 (Mishra).
BOWLING: Anderson 32-5-84-1 (nb2), Broad 26-9-84-1, Flintoff 30.2-10-54-3 (nb4),
 Panesar 23-2-89-2, Swann 45-11-122-3, Collingwood 2-0-10-0.