Another monumental performance from Rahul Dravid on the fourth day of the fourth Test at the Oval Sunday delayed England's progress toward a series whitewash over India. Dravid became the third Indian batsman to carry his bat in a Test with an unbeaten 146 compiled in six hours 19 minutes in his team's 300 all out in reply to England's 591 for six declared. He was soon back in the middle after England enforced the follow-on and frustrated the host for a further 55 minutes before departing caught for 13. Despite Dravid's heroics, England still needs only seven wickets to win the series 4-0 on Monday's final day after India ended on for 129 for three, still trailing by 162. Sachin Tendulkar, who received another standing ovation in what may his last Test innings in England, was unbeaten on 35. Dravid scored 103 not out in the first Test at Lord's and 117 in the second at Trent Bridge and is the only Indian to reach three figures in a miserable series for the visitors. On Sunday he completed his 35th Test century to move ahead of his boyhood hero Sunil Gavaskar and West Indian Brian Lara in the all-time list behind Tendulkar (51), South Africa's Jacques Kallis (40) and Australian Ricky Ponting (39). He emulated Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag by batting throughout an innings and became the first man to face 30,000 Test deliveries. “The bowling attack has been very good, the ball has swung and they have swung it at pace and the wickets have been challenging as well,” Dravid said.
