England v India day four as it happened

SECOND NPOWER TEST, Trent Bridge, day four:
England 198 & 355 all out v India 481 and 10-0

India were left needing just 73 to beat England and take a 1-0 lead in the Test series after bowling out the hosts for 355 on the fourth day at Trent Bridge.

England captain Michael Vaughan hit 124 and put on 112 with Paul Collingwood to put England narrowly in front.

But the last seven wickets tumbled for just 68 runs as Zaheer Khan (5-75) produced some inspired seam bowling.

Collingwood hit 63 and Andrew Strauss 55, but other key batsmen failed. India closed on 10-0, needing a further 63.

LATEST ACTION AS IT HAPPENED (ALL TIMES BST)

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By Tom Fordyce

1859: India 10-0: C'est tout - Karthik closes the day's proceedings with a slashing drive high over Tremlett at fourth slip, and India will require just 63 more runs to win when they return in the morrow.

You'll have the always-perky Pranav Soneji with you on Tuesday - thanks for your company today. Stay lucky now...

1856: India 4-0: Ouch - Jaffer thumps a leg-stump half-volley straight onto Cook's conkers, and the willowy youngster hits the deck in a heap. Good job he's wearing sunglasses to disguise the tears - although an even better job he was wearing his padded-edge box.

1852: India 0-0: Super first over from Jimmy A, swinging the ball like an angled frisbee at Karthik. One out-swinging yorker looks like a certain stump-demolisher until the batsman crashes the toe of his bat down onto it at the last moment.

ENGLAND INNINGS

1839: WICKET - Anderson b Kumble 1, Eng 355 all out

Jimmy surrenders meekly on the seventh ball of the over, Siders having earlier smashed 13 off the previous six balls (one of which was a no-ball). That's your lot, England - India need 73 to win, so we'll probably have ten mins or so of India batting tonight before coming back on a cloudless Tuesday to polish it all off.

1834: Eng 341-9
Siders has decided to go down all guns blazing, in the manner of Redford and Newman in Butch Cassidy. He blitzes a dreadful mis-hit hoick over mid-off for two, and then rocks back to boff a shorter one through square leg for four. Drunken cheers from the stands.

1831: Eng 334-9
Kumble leaves the door open, foxing Anderson completely with two googlies but failing to nibble the outside edge by the width of a propelling pencil's lead.

1827: Eng 334-9
It's a battle between Zaheer and Kumble now for the final scalp, and Zaheer rather wastes his chance, sending four leave-alones wide of Siders' off stump.

1822: WICKET - Panesar c Karthik b Kumble 4, Eng 333-9

Dear oh dear - the ball after rocking back to clout Kumble through cover for a glorious four, Monty suffers an eyes-shut rush of blood and top-edges an insane slog sweep high into the sky. Karthik makes the pouch look easy. The lead is 50.

1818: Eng 329-8
Maiden from Zaheer to a battling Siders. Just Monty to see off Kumble at the other end now. Hmmm. Triple-length shadows stretch from the players' feet across the pitch.

1812: WICKET - Tremlett c Singh b Kumble 5, Eng 329-8

Make that 46-8 - Tremmers tries to smash Kumble into Chesterfield and drills a mis-hit straight to mid-on, where Arpy juggles histrionically before hanging on and sprinting off for a full house of high-fives with his team-mates.

1806: WICKET - Collingwood c Karthik 63, Eng 323-7

That's the silver stake through England's heart - Zaheer takes his fifth scalp of the day as Colly pushes at the one angled across him from left arm over. Karthik takes a good low catch between his boots at second slip, and England are the equivalent of 40-7.

1802: Eng 323-6
Aha - here comes Anil. He twirls in to Tremmers and nearly has him stumped down the leg-side, only for anxious replays to show that the beanpole batsman's toe had just touched down again as Dhoni flicked the bails skywards.

From Angharad: "I went past the actual San Dimas water park near LA - but sadly it was October and it was closed. It did look the sort of place that historic notables would go, though."

1757: Eng 322-6
Zaheer it is, and Colly pinches a single to leave Tremmers shaking on strike. Three textbook blocks keep him alive.

1753: Eng 321-6
Colly's a man re-born - King Scratchy is consigned to the memory once again as he advances down the track to Gangools and batters him over midwicket for a two-bounce four. No sign of Kumble returning, but Zaheer's champing at the bit for his fifth wicket of the day.

1748: Eng 316-6

Colly's decided to go for broke. He taps Arpy behind square for two to bring up his 50 - 117 balls, almost three hours in duration - and then smashes a square drive through point for four more. Roars of approval from the self-deprecating England fans. Up on the England balcony, Matt Prior is staring intently at a laptop. He looks like he's watching a replay of his dismissal - he's on the point of throwing up.

1743: Eng 309-6
Dravid's taken Sree off and replaced him with the Citroen 2CV trundles of Ganguly. Wonder if that had anything to do with Sree's strop in his last over - and what looked like a deliberate no-ball to bounce Colly into Mansfield. New-man Tremmers slashes wildly at a wide one and sends a thick edge whistling past the groping Kumble ay gully for a streak four.

1737: WICKET - Prior b Singh 7, Eng 304-6

Crash bang wallop - Arpy bends a super delivery between Prior's lunging pad and thrusting blade, and the middle stump salchows out of the ground. England are the equivalent of 21-6. Ouch.

1729: Eng 304-5
Big escape for Colly - he gloves clearly down leg to Dhoni, but Umpo Howell inexplicably turns it down. Sree's ears nearly explode off his head with frustration. He whistles down a tasty lifter next up and Colly turns his head away as it cracks him on the midriff. Nicht so gut. Two no-balls tickle England's lead up a touch.

From Roger Franklin in Detroit: "To keep up the Bill & Ted theme, I stopped to get gas (petrol) at a gas (petrol) station in New Mexico last week, whilst there for work. It was only on inspecting my receipt as I left that I realized it was a Circle K. Strange things afoot, indeed..."

1724: Eng 301-5
Arpy back on, hair neatly swept to one side. Colly inside-edges again past his timbers before flicking a single to fine leg. England's lead is 19. How many do we reckon they need to make this interesting - 180 minimum?

From Dave in London: "In a remarkable linking of today's subjects, Bill & Ted also taught me that God gave Rock and Roll to You, gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to everyone, oh yeah."

1720: Eng 300-5
Nice square drive from Prior, his first true shot of the day. He then scampers a single, leaving Colly to almost have his block knocked off by a rapid Sree short one.

1715: Eng 295-5
Colly's having an absolute 'mare against Zaheer, who produces his third maiden on the bounce. The cocksure Colly of the post-tea period has gone, and King Scratchy returned in his place.

1710: Eng 295-5
Voosh - Colly aims a stiff-armed push at Sree and gets an inside edge past his stumps for a lucky one. Prior is then beaten twice by searchers starting on off and moving away at the last mo. Nervous times.

1707: Eng 294-5
Three slips and a gully in for Prior, who gets a mouthful from Zaheer as a bouncer buzzes past his nose. Two angled fizzers from left arm over then rocket across the thumping stumper's bows.

1700: Eng 293-5
A deathly hush has descended over Trent Bridge. Even the four men dressed as Robin Hoods have their quivers hanging limply by their sides. Sree bends a wicked out-swinger through first slip for four byes, but it's no sort of silver lining.

1654: WICKET - Bell lbw Zaheer 0, Eng 287-5

What fresh calamity is this? Bell goes second ball for a dismal quacker, missing a pacy in-dipper and being trapped bang in front. England's lead is just four runs - this could all be over this evening.

1651: WICKET - Vaughan b Zaheer 124, Eng 287-4

Heartbreak for Vaughan, joy unconfined for India - a leg-stump nothing from Zaheer ricochets from thigh pad onto the back of the bat and then gently onto the stumps with just enough momentum to dislodge the bails. That's changed things...

1649: Eng 287-3
Colly's rocketed to 45, latching on to a wasteful short one from Sree to pull off the toe of the bat to the midwicket rope. What sort of fool would criticise a batsman of this rare vintage?

1644: Eng 283-3
New-ball time, and Dravid calls his players in for an impromptu mid-session huddle before handing the cherry to a somewhat surprised Zaheer. Colly gets a loosener miles down leg and then punches the next one away for an easy two to bring up the 100 partnership. That's woken the crowd up. Vaughan square-drives squirtily for four and then tickles fine for four more - and the scores are level!

From Simon Hawksley: "Further to Andy of London's earlier message, I note that AC/DC also stated that 'rock and roll will never die' in their seminal work, 'Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution'. As Mr Young's research appears to have been peer-reviewed by those doughty Australian rockers I think there can be no further doubt."

1638: Eng 270-3
More easy runs off the random tweak machine that is Tendulkar. Colly belts a loopy full toss through midwicket for four and then pats a single through point, and the Indian lead is now a mere 13. We'll have a conga when parity is achieved.

1634: Eng 264-3
Five singles off Kumble, and Dravid seems quite happy to wait for the new ball in a couple of overs' time. A heavy sleepiness has fallen over the crowd, many of whom are approaching the pleasantly-pickled stage.

1631: Eng 259-3
Tendulkar continues twiddling away happily, and England pick up a pair of singles. All about attrition, this final session. It could well go on until 1900, too, which is bad news for my hopes of tucking into a prawn stir-fry somewhere in the 1800 zone.

From Andy in London: "In response to Trevor near Warminster, may I point out that Neil Young stated in 1979, 'Hey Hey, My My, Rock & Roll will never die'. I think this can be taken as conclusive."

1627: Eng 257-3
Dicey from Colly, jousting down the track at Kumble and getting a thick inside edge past square leg for a fortuitous solo. Easy now.

1623: Eng 252-3
Sachin serves up a juicy waist-high full toss - or beamer, if you wish to stir things up even more - which Vaughan slaps behind square for the easiest of help-yourself fours. Vaughan's converted 53% of his Test 50s into tons, which is the third best record in Test history. Hats off, old boy.

1618: Eng 245-3

There it is - Kumble over-pitches and Vaughan drives delightfully for his 15th four to bring up his ton. That's his 17th Test century, and it's got to be right up there with the best of 'em - some wondrous shots in the trickiest of circumstances. 171 balls it's taken him, and the crowd and his team-mates rise to him. Off comes the lid, to reveal a jaw set firm with determination.

1613: Eng 240-3
Sumptuous straight drive from Skip, caressing the ball back past Arpy like a man in a happy, happy dream. A mis-timed pull off a short lifter takes him to 99. Digits crossed all around the ground.

From Gordon in Stirling: "Re Richard in London's comment (1506) about his possible alternative Dad. You have to be careful what you wish for: if your mum had married Peter, you'd be called Richard (or Rick) Parfitt and, far from playing cricket, you would have been the guitarist for Status Quo, consigned to a life of Rocking All Over The World."

1610: Eng 235-3
Skip and a hop from Koomblay, and a single apiece to the plucky pair.

From Trevor near Warminster: "In response to your question, both The Hellacopters (yep, that's how they spell it) and Lenny Kravitz both stated that Rock and Roll is dead. I tend to disagree of course, but then what do I know?"

1606: Eng 233-3
Left-arm zip from Arpy, and Colly enjoys a slice of leg-stump pie - tucking a fullish one to the midwicket rope. The Indian lead is down to 50.

1602: Eng 227-3
Righty - back into the breach, and Colly picks up the pace with two well-timed jabbers off Kumble for two twos.

Just before the players come out again, have a look at what Ashley Giles has told us about the beamer incident, in his daily blog from Trent Bridge

Gilo's Test Match Special blog

TEA

1540: Eng 221-3
Just the single off Sachin, and that's tea. I'm off for an Earl Grey, possibly with an accompanying ginger snap. Who said rock and roll was dead?

1537: Eng 220-3
Kumble strays onto Vaughan's legs twice and gets popped away comfortably for a braces of twos. A single apiece for the England pair follow, and the deficit drops to 63.

From Rob Helps: "Speaking of Goochie and his badminton skill, I seem to remember that a certain IT Botham was County Junior badminton champion in days of yore. And unbeaten at that, I believe."

1535: Eng 214-3
Hello - five minutes before tea, Dravid brings his old pal Sachin on for a varied twirl. Three strolled singles are taken, two to Skip and one to Colly.

1532: Eng 211-3
Same again from Vaughanio off Kumble before Colly tries an ill-advised pull and survives the lbw shout on high bounce alone. 10 off 38 balls for the Durham toiler.

1527: Eng 208-3
MV eases to 81 off 145 balls with a dab for two and a tickle for one from the toiling Zaheer. For those who thought you saw a mysterious 1,750-odd improvement in England's run-tally a few moments ago - almost as if I'd accidentally typed an extra 0 in the score - you dreamed it. 1,750 runs! As if that could happen.

1523: Eng 205-3
Clipped single from MV off Kumble, before Colly scraps away with zero thrills.

1520: Eng 204-3
Maiden from Zaheer to Colly, who's struggling to get the ball off the square. Vaguely depressing, watching Colly - it all looks such hard work. Admirable, don't get me wrong, but as difficult as catching a fly with chopsticks.

From Ed in Southampton: "To Richard from London: don't lose too much sleep - I went to school with Parfitt's son, and whilst he was good at cricket he wasn't professional standard and might well be fixing computers now too."

1514: Eng 204-3
Kumble dances in with two slips but no men in close in front of the wicket. Vaughan plays a luscious late cut to pick up four no.13. Am I the first male to have ever typed the word "luscious"?

1511: Eng 200-3
Sree's taking a breather, probably so his right hand can pick a fight with his left. Zaheer replaces him and donks a lifter onto Colly's flinching lid. The burnished-copper battler pops away an unconvincing double.

1506: Eng 198-3
Koomblay back on, and Vaughan dabs him late with delightful skill to pick up his 12th four. 73 now for the graceful ex-crock. England now just 85 runs behind. I say "just" - I'm being optimistic.

From Richard in London: "I'm gutted - I was speaking to my old mum yesterday and getting her view on the chances of England's success and she advised me, out of the blue, that she dumped Peter Parfitt in order to go out with my dad in 1955. He was 19, she was 18 and I could be now playing cricket instead of fixing computers for a living."

1459: Eng 191-3
Colly gets luckier than the recommissioned writer of Two Pints Of Lager as he slashes jerkily at Sree and thick-edges through gully for four. He then plays and misses hopefully and sprints a single before Sree flings another full-tosser at Vaughan - this time at waist height. Vaughan has outraged words as the drinks trolley arrives.

1455: Eng 185-3
The sauciest of shots from Vaughan, cracking Arpy through midwicket at the pace of a pistol shot to move to 68. Colly gets off the mark with an unsightly bottom-hand jab past mid-off. On the radio version of TMS, Graham Gooch is remembering his days playing badminton at school. It's the ideal cross-training sport to promote good foot movement in batsmen, apparently. Good old Goochie. Make a dream uncle, that man.

From David Small: "Further to Jonathan Latimer's point, it was because of Reagan that the blueberry jelly bean was created. Being fond of blueberries and keen to offer a patriotic mix of red, white and blue sweets at official functions Reagan requested that the new flavour be produced."

1451: Eng 179-3
Colly scratches away manfully against the ankle-biting Sree. Never much fun watching Colly - you very much appreciate his effort, but you're never going to entertain grandchildren with tales of his knocks.

From Neil in Slough: "Re Indians and giants. Are you aware of the WWE Wrestling star called The Great Khali? 7 feet and 3 inches tall, apparently. Could probably extract bounce from the most lifeless of pitches."

1447: Eng 178-3
Arpy to new-man Colly, and it's a juicy maiden. A few grey clouds gather over the Radcliffe Road end, but no immediate sign of raindrops to fall upon heads and save England's bacon.

1440: Eng 178-3
Sree sprints in, fires one at Vaughany's hips and is tickled fine for two. He then beats Vaughan outside off with that little straightener of his and follows through to wish him good luck. Spicy times, my friends.

From Simon in Beeston: "Re John from Manchester's comment (1117) about the dance classic 'Not Over Yet'. The 1995 release was in fact the 2nd release of the track. The first was in 1993 under the band name of 'State of Grace' - it also featured on the amazing Renaissance Mix Collection from a year later. No reference to John 'Jellybean' Benitez though."

1432: WICKET - Pietersen lbw Singh 19, Eng 175-3

And now he's gone - KP shoulders arms to a vicious in-dipper from Singh coming left arm round, is struck on the front pad knee-roll with his bat up by his ears and Taufel has no doubt. Ecstasy for the Indian fielders, and the match is back in their hands. Arpy can consider himself lucky - not for that decision, but for his appeal the ball before, when he virtually cartwheeled all the way to third slip while screeching like an angry seagull.

From BBC Sport's Paresh Soni at Trent Bridge: "The third umpire just came out. Definitely lots of aggro out there which must have affected KP's concentration."

1426: Eng 174-2
Sree's like an irritable terrier - he gathers a KP push at his toes and fakes a fling at the batsman's nose. The crowd oooh sarcastically. Two balls later Sree flings a full-pace beamer straight at KP's head, and for a moment it all threatens to boot off. Umps Howell calls no-ball, Vaughan calls Sree something a whole heap spicier and KP just stares right into Sree's mush with eyes the size of satellite dishes.

1422: Eng 170-2
Arpy steps up in place of Zaheer, and Vaughan tucks in with a face-runner off the angled blade to third man for four and a shovel through midwicket for two more. 57 now on the board for Skip, and the game is poised delightfully.

From Alan Evans: "Apparently, KP picked up his jelly-bean habit from Shane Warne at Hampshire. SW recently revealed that they were responsible for his rapid weight gain in the late 90s. Be calorie-careful, KP..."

1417: Eng 163-2
KP batters a short one from Sree through mid-on with a lusty thumper of an early pull. Sree gains a sniff of revenge with a beautiful leaver which whistles towards the top of off before diving away towards first slip whilst thumbing its nose. There's a man in the stands dressed as a giraffe, complete with elongated five-foot long neck. Luckily he's sitting on the back row.

1412: Eng 159-2

KP flicks Zaheer fine for two and then strolls a solo, leaving MV to push a three off the back foot and ease to his half-ton. 100 balls it's taken him, with nine fours - some peachy shots in there along with a handful of diceyness.

1408: Eng 152-2
Change of bowling already - Kumble's taking a blow, and Sree's back on for some more excitable fizzing. Just a rushed single to KP, who then waves frantically at the England boundary. We thought he was full of beans, but he's obviously running short.

1403: Eng 151-2
Good aggression from Zaheer, sizzling one into Vaughan's knick-knacks and then another off his fending gloves and over Dhoni's stretching mitts for a flukey four. He extends his follow-through right up to the end of Vaughan's patrician nose and offers advice on how best to play the shorter ball.

From Jonathan Latimer: "In the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan was President of the United States, he was known for keeping a jar of Jelly Belly jelly-beans on his desk, which was credited with helping to increase their popularity in the US."

1400: Eng 147-2
Anything you can do, says KP in his high-pitched Safrican squeak, and drives Koomblay wide of midwicket with almost impossible timing. Sporting an almost 'tache-level of stubble today, KP.

1357: Eng 143-2
An absolute ripper of a drive from Vaughan, leaning his weight onto his front peg and creaming Zaheer through cover with synapse-tickling skill. KP's jumping around at the other end, wired to the tips of his toes on Red Bull and 'beans.

From Alastair Bennett: "Re Ed in Waterloo's comment - it may have been a long time ago, but I distinctly remember the giant in the fairytale seeking the 'blood of an Englishman', rather than that of an Indian. I'm afraid your plan could backfire and destroy our chances."

1352: Eng 136-2
Vaughan plays a Kumble non-spinner down into the ground and up to silly point, whereupon the Indian fielders leap up for an outrageous appeal. Vaughan does the same again next ball and the grandstands amuse themselves by screaming a copycat mock-appeal. Vaughan then plays a delightful late-cut down to third man for four, and the cheers double in volume.

From Paul in Stroud: "In reference to your dig at Extreme lead singer Gary Cherone's hair, the man himself - along with the band's legendary guitar show-off Nuno Bettencourt - once claimed to be the real Milli Vanilli. Quite why anyone would wish to claim that honour is another matter altogether."

1344: WICKET - Strauss c Dhoni b Zaheer 55, Eng 130-2

Dear oh dear - what sort of shot was that? Strauss wafts at a wide piece of nonsense like a dandy twirling his silver-topped cane on a Sunday stroll through Burlington Arcade, and Dhoni takes the tumbling pouch. India are beside themselves; Strauss stares up at the heavens miserably as he slouches back to the hutch.

1342: Eng 130-1
Afternoon again, and few timbers shivered by Kumble's first over after the tuck-in. Strauss pushes a single off his pads, and Zaheer limbers up to have a joust from the other end.

LUNCH

1259: Eng 129-1
There we go - time for luncheon, and Sree gives MV a morsel to chew on as he fizzes one past him with the last ball of the session. Marginally England's morning, I'd say, with a humdinger of an afternoon in prospect. See you in approx 38 mins.

From Rich in London: "In the semiconductor industry, a 'jelly-bean' component is one which is widely available, used generically in many applications, and has no very unusual characteristics - as though it might be grabbed out of a jar in handfuls when needed, like jelly-beans. For example, the 741 might be considered a jelly-bean operational amplifier."

1255: Eng 128-1
It's just not working for Koomblay - Vaughan pushes him away for the single that takes him to 5,000 Test runs, and he then watches in disgust as some lacklustre fielding from Arpy at point lets Strauss slap another casual four. The chirp from the Indian fielders, so ear-splitting half an hour ago, has died away to the merest squeak.

1250: Eng 123-1

Tendulkar gifts Strauss his half-ton with a high full toss that's slapped away through midwicket and a gentle loosener on off-stump that's pushed away for a single. 120 balls and five fours in that knock, and Strauss points his bat at the England balcony. Colly (clad proudly in his dark blue England tracksuit) and KP (disco wristband, Adam Ant-style zinc cream across nose, zero jelly-beans) put their hands together.

1246: Eng 117-1
Vaughanaldo is relishing this Kumble konflict - he sees off two top-spinners that aim to crush him back onto his timbers and then repeats that delightful midwicket creamy clip from the last over for another four. Nods of approval in the Trent Bridge stands.

From Jeremy Butterworth: "A jellybean is also a cocktail made from ouzo, lemonade and a splash of raspberry liqueur, stirred and served in an old-fashioned glass over ice."

1242: Eng 111-1
Sachin comes on for a pick 'n' mix over of spin, licking his fingers before he grips the ball and twirling it into his left hand as he stands at the end of his stumpy approach. MV waits for a wider one and strokes it to the cover boundary sweeper for two before strolling a single through mid-on.

From Gary in Glasgow: "Re Peter Ottaway's comment: Napoleon's waterpark conduct in Bill and Ted isn't a true reflection on how the great man would have behaved in such an environment, as he was wearing an 'all-in-one' swimsuit and swimming cap, which is strictly forbidden in wordwide waterpark etiquette."

1239: Eng 107-1
Roars from the Trent Bridge masses as Vaughan punches two leg-stumpers from Kumble to the midwicket fence with dreamy timing. That's the 50 partnership, from 114 balls, and Kumble snatches his cap from the paw of Umpo Howell before striding off in a man-sized bate.

1235: Eng 98-1
Arpy serves up five leave-alones to Strauss outside off, before a play-me is tickled away for a solo.

From Ed in Waterloo: "I'm pinning my hopes on KP's magic beans sprouting into a beanstalk and some kind of giant descending from the heavens to scare off the Indians. Whilst Ali Cook entertains the crowd with a golden harp."

1231: Eng 97-1
Shudder - it was indeed Anil K, and he produces an over packed to the gills with menace and trouble. MV survives a lung-busting lbw shout - possibility of an inside edge - and Strauss is almost castled by the top-spinner. Nervous times.

From Gary Hunt on Portsmouth: "I have just dug out my old Jellybean album and it includes the unforgettably titled 'Was A Dog A Doughnut'."

1228: Eng 95-1
Easy for Straus off Arpy, flipping away off his pads for a tasty two. Is that Kumble loosening his top-spinning fingers down there?

From David Dickinson: "Re Peter at 1204 - is Napolean the skinnier younger brother of Napoleon?"

1223: Eng 91-1
Shot of the day from MV, standing tall to punch Gangools back past his shoelaces for a lovely straight four. 48 runs from the 18 overs so far this morno, with just the one wicket down - almost even-stevens, no?

1219: Eng 86-1
Huge screams from behind the timbers as Arpy zings one past Vaughan's troubled prod - but Taufs keeps his fingers clasped in front of his trouser zip. A follow-up in-swinger then clips MV's pads and disappears off to the fine leg fence at pace.

From Paul Wingert: "Re Toby Harding's trivia on the Beatles. I attended a Beatles concert at Bournemouth with my sister and hundreds of other screaming fans circa 1964. There was a drummer on just before the Fab Four who launched himself into a mega solo. After about three minutes the impatient Beatles fans pelted him with jelly babies, forcing him to beat a hasty retreat, pardon the pun. Those jelly babies didn't sound so soft as they pinged off his cymbals and drums."

1215: Eng 81-1
Nice from MV - he waits for a leg-stumper lolloper from Gangools and scoops it through the vacant midwicket region for a purring four. On the jelly-bean tip, wasn't Jellybean a legendary NYC producer of the 1980s? Seem to remember he had hair as long, curly and appalling as the lead singer of Extreme, was involved somehow with Madonna and produced The Eurythmics' little-heard remix album Touch Dance.

1211: Eng 77-1
Arpy resumes, and Strauss obviously took a sip on some Jus de Confidence - he pulls fine for four, and then drives on the bounce through extra cover for four more to move to 37.

From Damian in London: "In United States slang in the 1910s and early 1920s, a 'Jelly Bean' was a young man who made great effort to dress very stylishly (usually to attract women) but had little else to recommend him. Having seen KP out of his whites a few times, this might explain his liking for the said candy."

1204: Eng 69-1
Gangools gets the nod for a wobble from the Radcliffe Road end, and it's a useful breather for the England pair. Only one slip in, and you get the sense that Anil K wil be on before long. Time for a beverage break here.

From Peter Ottaway: "Don't be doing down the contribution Bill & Ted have made to people's education. If It wasn't for them we would never know how Napolean would act in a Water Fun park."

1159: Eng 68-1
Change of bowling - time for some RP Singh, going left arm over from the Pavilion End. He starts too wide and gradually moves the tractor-beam across the crease, allowing Strauss to tickle one away gratefully to fine leg.

1155: Eng 67-1
Second maiden on the bounce as Sree takes aim at Vaughan's off-stump and has him jumping like a man watching the Sex Pistols in 1977.

From Toby Harding: "A bit of trivia for you - Beatles guitarist George Harrison commented in an interview that he was a fan of Jelly Babies, prompting British fans to throw the soft, jelly candies at the group during concerts. American fans, not aware of the difference, threw the hard-coated jelly-beans instead, much to the consternation of the group."

1149: Eng 67-1
Maiden from Zaheer, and he's got Vaughan guessing as badly as an inebriated teenager at a pub quiz. Skip is nearly cleaned up by the in-angler that accelerates on, and then jabs at the straightener. Howls of derision from the slips.

From Jonathan Bundock: "The jelly-bean incident brings to mind the derivation of the expression 'to bowl a Jaffa' which comes from the days when Mike Gatting used to keep a few packets of Jaffa Cakes behind the stumps. He once dropped one on a length between overs during a tough match against Australia. The ball deviated so alarmingly that it took a much-needed wicket."

1144: Eng 66-1
Hello - it's getting tasty out there - Sree deliberately bumps shoulders with Vaughan as he strides back to his mark, and Vaughan is comically outraged. That had all the menace of a mallard quacking at a passing yacht, but Umpo Howell's seen enough and steps in for a finger-wag. Strauss takes advantage of the brouhaha to slap away a widish one behind point off the back foot. It's all happening.

1140: Eng 62-1
Zaheer 's coming left arm round, angling it in to the flustered Vaughany and then straightening the occasional one up. It's a nasty combo, and one that has done for MV in every one of his three dismissals in this series so far. Strauss is wisely staying as rooted at the non-striker's as he can.

From Stuart Thompson: "Is KP some sort of cricketing squirrel? Depositing little stashes of Jelly Beans in Test match grounds all over the world in case he needs them at some point in the future."

1136: Eng 60-1
That's better from Skip - he leans languidly onto a wider one from Sree and creams it through cover for the first boundary of the day. Relieved applause from the edgy masses at Trent Bridge.

1131: Eng 55-1
Vaughan tickles a single to leg to escape the spotlight, and Strauss flips away to fine leg for a chugged-through two. Don't know if you've heard, but legendary film-maker Ingmar Bergman has passed away at the age of 89. His demise has caused my colleague on my left to reminisce about viewing The Seventh Seal at school. In a damning indictment of my own state school education, my knowledge of the man and his most famous work comes entirely from Bill And Ted.

1127: Eng 52-1
Vaughan's hanging on by his fingernails here - Sree bends one past his lunging edge to yells of disbelief from the eyes-wide slips. Gulp.

From John Plant: "To be completely neutral here, it was obviously a jumping bean that made its way onto the track. No blame should be attributed to KP for this natural phenomenon."

1121: Eng 51-1
Whoosh - dicey as hell for England as Vaughan is beaten all ends up by a vicious Zaheer in-dipper. Vaughan holds his textbookesque forward defensive pose for a number of seconds after the ball has beaten him, as if to deny the fact that the ball went straight through his gaping gate. Strauss then aims an eyes-shut mow at a wide one and misses by metres.

From Mark Bishop: "I was at TB yesterday and KP was clearly spotted rummaging around in the pitch used for nets. He hides his jelly-beans in the stump holes on the practice pitches."

1117: Eng 49-1
Skipper Vaughan strides to the crease, but it's Strauss to hang tough against an over of Sree swingers. The Indian fielders are closing in like hungry hyenas - they can smell fresh blood here.

From John in Manchester: "In direct contrast to Richard in Cork I've just been listening to dance classic 'Not Over Yet' - the original 1995 version by Grace, not the recent poor imitation by indie nu-ravers the Klaxons."

1109: WICKET - Cook lbw Zaheer 23, Eng 49-1

Wallop - Cook shoves his front pad a half-stride down the pitch, is clattered by a fullish in-slider and Umpo Taufel's Finger of Doom is up in an instant. Stinker of a start for England, and Cook's got serious problems with lbws - that's his fourth ell bee decision on the bounce, and his 12th in 37 Test dismissals.

1107: Eng 49-0
Sree Santh from the Pavillion End as the sun whacks down from a sky sparsely populated by fluffy white. Cook flicks a single to fine leg before Strauss jabs down late on an in-dipper.

1102: Eng 48-0
Zaheer takes the Braeburn for the first over the day, and Cook leans into two full-pitched whistlers to tuck away a unflustered two and three. Why KP has to keep his beans behind the stumps has not been made clear. Why not pop them behind Stumper Prior, inside the spare lid? Or get a teenage lackey to sprint on with a handful between overs?

1055 BST - from Richard in Cork: "I just had the radio on and had the following records in this order - 'I'm Going Slightly Mad' followed by 'We Have all the time in the World'. I thought that summed up the possible day's play quite well. And then, believe it or not, Roy Orbison's 'Its Over'."

1045 BST: Here's the chat - apparently KP likes to munch on a jelly-bean or two whilst in the field - the sugar gives him a little perk-up. He keeps a stash tucked behind the stumps, but at some stage yesterday Zaheer became convinced that a stray bean had been placed on the pitch, just on a length on middle and off. Cue all sorts of finger-jabbing and recrimination.

1040 BST: Some great stories this morning about the issue behind the KP-Zaheer conflict out in the middle on Sunday. Apparently it was all about jelly-beans. Honestly.

1030 BST: General chat around the ground is that England need someone to drop a heavy anchor and do an Atherton in Joburg 1995. Early cash is on the boy Cook, with Jimmy A the rank outsider.

1010 BST: Morning all - a fraction overcast at Trent Bridge, but zero chance of rain - it's all down to England's pluck today. How's your optimism levels? Personally, having enjoyed the sounds of Sidney Youngblood's seminal 1989 smash "If Only I Could" playing on the radio as I breakfasted this morning, I'm feeling as bouncy as a king-sized trampoline.