England 316 & 311-9 dec v India 241 & 171-2
India need 387 to win
Andrew Flintoff struck to remove Rahul Dravid as England made the perfect start to day five of the first Test against India in Chennai.
Flintoff had the out-of-form Dravid (4) caught behind in the third over after the hosts resumed on 131-1, needing another 256 runs for victory.
Sachin Tendulkar came to the crease to partner opening batsman Gautam Gambhir, who soon recorded his half-century.
England need eight more wickets to win but India have lots of batting to come.
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By Mark Mitchener
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606: DEBATE
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INDIA NEED 387 TO WIN
0446 - Ind 171-2 (38 overs)
Gambhir shoulders arms to Flintoff, before getting a slightly fortunate edge past the stumps for four and then guiding a two to leg. Fred is switching his angle of attack to the left-hander, bowling round and then over the wicket, but Gambhir looks fairly comfortable at this stage.
"I've been reading the text updates the following day... and it's not the same. It's like your mates talking in the pub about a party you didn't go to. So here I am... better be worth it...soon as I turn up, Dravid out! Didn't you miss me!"
Vicki Hartley in the TMS inbox
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Former Middlesex and England seamer Angus Fraser on TMS
0441 - Ind 165-2 (37 overs)
Tendulkar reacts late but guides Swann down to Monty at fine leg for a single, as does Gambhir. Monty is temporarily a ball magnet as Tendulkar paddle-sweeps Swann from outside off stump for two. Are they deliberately targeting the Montster? Tendulkar then carefully tickles another two to third man, before another paddle-sweep past leg slip for four. 10 runs from that over (nine to Sachin).
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Dan in Southampton, via text on 81111
0436 - Ind 155-2 (36 overs)
Flintoff goes round the wicket to Gambhir, but bowls his third no-ball of the day. Aggers reveals on TMS that Billy B is still waiting to see whether he'll be standing in the second Test, or whether Asad Rauf gets his visa sorted out in time - otherwise, Bananaman could be on his way back home to New Zealand for Christmas tonight. Switching to over the wicket, Fred bowls another no-ball, so it's a long over, which concludes as Gambhir works a two off his legs.
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Former England captain Michael Vaughan, speaking at BBC Sports Personality of the Year
"For England to win, I reckon they need to take six or seven wickets by tea. For India to win, if they can limit the damage to four wickets by tea they will be in with a shout. Either way it's a cracking prospect to promote Test match cricket"
Gavin, Bradford, in the TMS inbox
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Gambhir reaches his eighth Test fifty from 105 balls - having played the support role to Sehwag's assault yesterday - with a single off Swann. Still wearing his sunglasses, Swanny is then down on one knee with an lbw appeal when Tendulkar offers no shot, but umpire Daryl Harper shakes his head.
"I think I just broke my hands clapping in celebration at Dravid losing his wicket. Could be something to do with my pre-cricket night out on the town..."
Ewan, in Dublin, in the TMS inbox
0426 - Ind 150-2 (34 overs)
Aggers takes the mic on TMS - he's "a little bit croaky", he explains - as the Flintoff-Tendulkar duel resumes. Another no-ball from Fred is signalled by Umpire Billy "Bananaman" Bowden (one there for anyone following yesterday's coverage). Tendulkar has the crowd on their feet with a superbly-timed cut past gully for four to bring up 150 for his side.
Day 4's text commentary - including Billy Bowden's banana
"Alas, it's bedtime for me in South Carolina, USA. But I hope to wake up to news of an enthralling England win. Congratulations to both sides for making an exciting match of it. Who would have thought that bowling at the rate of 1980s West Indies and batting at the rate of Chris Tavare and David Steele could make for such a good match?"
Mike Hart in the TMS inbox
0420 - Ind 145-2 (33 overs)
The question has been posed by some - can Graeme Swann become the new Shaun Udal for England? (As in, bowl them to victory in a Test in India, then never get picked again?!) Gambhir nudges a single, Tendulkar guides another off his legs.
"Good morning from the East Coast of the US. 'Tis 11pm here! I had to stay up and read about the first few minutes of Day 5 of this absolutely fantastic Test match! The world goes on in spite of those who wish it otherwise and try to do humanity harm. A hearty hurrah for the cricketers on both sides! Smashing, indeed!"
Joe, Philadelphia, in the TMS inbox
0416 - Ind 143-2 (32 overs)
A huge roar as Indian crowd favourite Sachin Tendulkar walks to the crease. He flicks his first ball just past short leg for a couple through mid-wicket, as Monty runs round from mid-on to field. The "Little Master" then has to weave away from a bouncer from the perspiring Flintoff, who then has him playing and missing. Great over.
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Former Somerset and England off-spinner Vic Marks on TMS
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Dravid prods hesitantly outside off stump, Prior snaffles the catch and Flintoff's made the breakthrough!
0409 - Ind 141-1 (31 overs)
Off-spinner Graeme Swann, who removed Sehwag last night, will take the second over of the day and has four close catchers for Dravid - slip, leg slip, silly point and short leg. A stat attack on the former India skipper from Paul Grunill (my "gaffer" today) reveals that Dravid is averaging just 29 in the 14 Tests he has played in 2008. But he guides a single round the corner to fine leg, and Gambhir smacks a looser delivery past silly point for two. A single to third man takes his score to 48. Some prodigious turn from Swann out of the rough though, Colly takes it head-high at slip. Dravid dabs another single.
"I emigrated to snowy Vancouver four weeks ago and so miss the cricket coverage but I'm here with my Canadian beer watching the live TV ice hockey whilst waiting for the Barmy Army to battle it out. Please lads, a draw will simply NOT do!"
Justin in the TMS inbox
0405 - Ind 136-1 (30 overs)
Flintoff goes round the wicket to the left-handed Gambhir, who forces Paul Collingwood into a sprawling stop at backward point (that's gotta hurt) before Fred sends down a no-ball to get India going. Gambhir hooks a short one, but any hopes of a catch for the marauding Monty Panesar at long leg are thwarted as he miscues it and it sails very fine for four.
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Oli in Manchester, via text on 81111
0359: India's openers are ready for action - opener Gautam Gambhir, on 41 not out, is joined by Rahul Dravid. Or as they say on that Darren Gough/Dale Winton gameshow on Saturday nights, "Bring on The Wall!" Andrew Flintoff will take the first over.
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Join the debate on 606
0343: In other cricket news, the rain-affected Test in Dunedin was finally washed out on day five, with the New Zealand players left playing cards in the dressing-room (as our photo shows) - while Chris Hoy was named as BBC Sports Personality of the Year last night. Lewis Hamilton was second and Rebecca Adlington (in a very nice red dress) was third.
REPORT: Dunedin Test drawn after wash-out
REPORT: Hoy named BBC Sports Personality
0335: Morning, everyone. I hope you're up with the lark for this one as we have a potential pre-Christmas cracker on our hands here. As BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said in his close-of-play column yesterday, "you could not wish for a more enticing final day than what is on offer in Chennai".
Jonathan Agnew column
The match situation is that India will begin day five on 131-1, chasing a mammoth 287 to beat England, after we had a thrilling cameo innings of 83 from Virender Sehwag. I call it "Sehwag being Sehwag" - he can only bat one way, and he's put his side in with a faint hope of an unprecedented victory. By comparison, the highest successful fourth-innings chase in Tests in India was 276-5 (West Indies in Delhi in 1987/88), although in the famous tied Test on this ground in September 1986, India were bowled out for 347 chasing 348 to beat Australia.
INTERNET LINK: The tied Test from 1986, on CricketArchive
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