England Strike As Second Day Ends

Employed as a makeshift opener, Sehwag hit 84 off 96 balls, including 10 fours and a six.

He fell, four overs from the end of play, in the most unlucky of circumstances as an attempted drive to the on-side rebounded off his boot and back into his stumps to provide a wicket for Ashley Giles.

England gained a third breakthrough in the final over as Andrew Flintoff trapped nightwatchman Ashish Nehra leg before for nought.

Rahul Dravid played the more circumspect role in a second-wicket partnership of 126, finishing unbeaten on 33.

He and Sehwag came together in the first over of India's response to England's 487, when Matthew Hoggard pegged back Wasim Jaffer's off-stump, via a flick of the pad.

England's healthy total was based around 155 from Nasser Hussain and half-centuries from Flintoff and Craig White.

The most entertaining contribution, however, was from debutant Simon Jones, the Glamorgan pace bowler who flayed 44 including seven fours and a straight six.

Jones later got the ball in his hand in the 15th over of the Indian innings but began nervously.

His first ball slipped down the leg side and the next, outside off, bounced twice on its way through to Alec Stewart.

He did show signs of the raw speed England have sought in recent years, however, by sending down consecutive deliveries of 89.5 and 89.8 miles per hour before Sehwag cut his final ball to the boundary.

Sehwag had savaged Giles, hitting him for a powerfully swept six over midwicket as the left-armer's costly spell forced Hussain's hand.