Cricket: Dhoni defiant but England on top in fifth Test

LONDON: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni stood alone as the tourists suffered yet another batting collapse to hand England the advantage on the first day of the fifth and final Test at The Oval.

At Friday´s close, England were 62 without loss in reply to India´s meagre 148 all out, a deficit of 86 runs.

England captain Alastair Cook was 24 not out and Australia-born Sam Robson, driving well after a run of low scores, 33 not out as the hosts looked to extend their 2-1 series lead.

Earlier, Dhoni made 82 -- more than 55 percent of India´s runs -- in an innings where only Murali Vijay (18) and Ravichandran Ashwin (13) also got into double figures.

Seam-bowling all-rounders Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan took three wickets apiece after James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who had two each, quickly justified Cook´s decision to field first in overcast conditions on a green-tinged pitch.

India, as in their innings and 54-run defeat inside three days in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, lost five wickets before lunch.

Their top order again lacked the technique or the application to cope with deliveries that swung and seamed off the pitch.

And but for Ian Bell dropping last man Ishant Sharma in the slips, India would have been 95 all out.

Instead the recalled paceman, who made seven not out, lingered for more than an hour in helping Dhoni add 58 for the last wicket -- easily the best stand of the innings.

Thursday saw the experienced Dhoni, who had top-scored with 71 in India´s first innings 152 at Old Trafford, joking about his "horrible" batting technique.

But no one could fault his resolve.

Under grey skies promising swing movement, England had to wait just four balls for their first wicket. Anderson, who started this match seven wickets shy of Ian Botham´s England record of 383 Test wickets, had opener Gautam Gambhir, trying to withdraw his bat, caught behind for a golden duck.

Broad, passed fit despite suffering a broken nose while batting in Manchester, then dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara (four) when the ball deflected onto his stumps via pad and arm. (AFP)