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LONDON - Anil Kumble scored a maiden test century on Saturday (NZ time) to spur India to 664 all out on the second day of the third and final test and put his side within sight of their first series victory in England for 21 years.
England, trailing
1-0, were 24 for one at the close and now look certain to end an unbeaten home record stretching back to 2002. Andrew Strauss was the man to fall, caught at fine leg after top-edging a pull shot off Zaheer Khan for six.
Number eight batsman Kumble cracked an unbeaten 110 after wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had flayed the England bowlers for 92 from 81 balls. Sachin Tendulkar chipped in with 82 until he departed 10 minutes before lunch.
Kumble came in at the fall of Tendulkar's wicket and batted throughout the afternoon session and for most of the third session. His previous test best was 88.
The leg-spinner from Bangalore, India's most successful test bowler, put on 91 with Dhoni, 62 with Zaheer Khan (11) and a record 10th-wicket stand of 73 from 80 balls with last man Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, who joined in the fun with a test best 35.
India's previous highest score against England was their 628 for eight at Headingley in 2002. The total at one stage was the highest in test history without a century.
Kumble's innings, which took 193 balls and included 11 fours and a straight six, upstaged his more illustrious batting team mates Tendulkar and skipper Rahul Dravid.
Dhoni, whose stubborn 76 not out helped India save the Lord's test, went to 92 in just 16 balls after reaching his half-century. He ended with nine boundaries and four sixes.
Last man Sreesanth rubbed salt into England's wounds by plundering three consecutive boundaries off James Anderson and ensured India became the first test side in three years where all 11 batsman reached double figures.
It was India's fourth-highest total in tests, short of their record 705 for seven against Australia three years ago.
England's problems deepened when their reliable left-arm swing bowler Ryan Sidebottom had to go to hospital for a scan on a sore left side.
- REUTERS