Karthik gets India off to solid start in final test

LONDON, Aug 9 (Reuters) India capitalised on winning the toss by reaching 117 for one at lunch on the first day of the third and final test against England today.

India, who lead the series 1-0 and only need to avoid defeat at The Oval to claim their first test series victory in England for 21 years, had no hesitation in batting first on a flat pitch in sunny conditions.

Opener Wasim Jaffer (35) was the only man to fall during the morning session.

Dinesh Karthik was 50 not out at the interval and skipper Rahul Dravid, who made 217 on the ground in 2002, was batting on 25.

India made a slow start and only managed to get off the mark off the 21st ball of the day when Jaffer cut James Anderson over gully for four. He ended the over with an elegant off-drive for another boundary.

Jaffer was the early aggressor of the two openers as he raced to 18 from as many balls when he upper cut a short and wide Anderson delivery over the backward point boundary for six. Karthik was still on two then.

India were largely untroubled for the first hour but in the first over after the drinks break Anderson persuaded Jaffer to play another upper cut from a short and wide ball and Kevin Pietersen took the catch 10 yards in from the third man boundary.

It appeared to be a plan concocted by England during the interval, aware that Jaffer seemed keen to attack anything loose on a flat but bouncy surface. Jaffer struck six fours and a six.

Karthik reached his sixth half-century in as many tests from 77 deliveries, while Dravid had faced 46 balls.

England are undefeated in home test series since Australia won in 2001.

REUTERS BJR BD1838