It certainly is now, at least for this test match; England will need to win the next test at the Oval to level the three test series (not two tests as I previously wrote) a week from Thursday. England were found lacking in the batting department in the second test even if the bowlers did an excellent job. England were bowled out for 355 just three overs before the end of yesterdays play with only a 72 run lead over the Indians. India finished the day off on 10 – 0, only needing a further 63 runs to take the win from the final days play. England skipper Michael Vaughan played an excellent innings top scoring with 124 before being clean bowled by Zaheer Khan, Paul Collingwood and Andrew Strauss made half centuries scoring 63 and 55 respectively. Cook, Pietersen and Bell all failed to fire scoring a combined total of 42 runs, Ryan Sidebottom scored more than three of the top order batsmen notching up a 1/4 century in just 24 deliveries. England battled to stay in the game today, but the target of 63 runs was hard to defend against a team like India. Chris Tremlett took three wickets this morning claiming the scalps of Karthik (22), Jaffer (22) and Tendulkar (1) and finished with figures of 3 wickets for 12 runs. If England could have managed to knock up a 200 run lead, things could have been different with Panesar, Tremlett and Anderson in a rich vein of form. Oh well onto the Oval in nine days time to try to regain some pride, although you have to say that India are lucky to be 1 – 0 up in the series given that they were saved from defeat at Lords the the great British summer.
