India rocked by early losses after rejecting follow-on

LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) India lost three quick second innings wickets today after skipper Rahul Dravid decided not to enforce the follow-on after dismissing England for 345 on the fourth morning of the third test at The Oval.

India crashed to 11 for three before recovering to 35 without further loss when the players took lunch 15 minutes early because of rain.

They still lead, though, by 354 runs and are well placed to claim their first test series win in England for 21 years after taking a 1-0 series lead into the final test.

England added 19 runs in the morning with the 10th wicket partnership between Chris Tremlett and Monty Panaesar realising 40 runs. Tremlett was left stranded on 25 not out when Panesar became Anil Kumble's third wicket, trapped lbw for nine.

India may have briefly regretted their plan to bat again and try to kill off any chance of an England win, which the home side need to protect a six-year unbeaten streak in home test series.

Wasim Jaffer was the latest victim of another dubious decision by South African umpire Ian Howell when he was lbw for a duck. He played no stroke to a James Anderson inswinger which television replays indicated would have bounced over the stumps.

The score became 10 for two when Dinesh Karthik edged Tremlett to Paul Collingwood at second slip for eight.

However, the most dramatic moment was the fall of the master batsman Sachin Tendulkar, when he played on to Anderson and flattened two of his stumps while trying to drive a good length delivery.

Tendulkar, dismissed by Anderson in three of his six innings in the series, made one from 11 balls.

Saurav Ganguly, 21 not out from 18 balls, has looked to be positive and hit India out of their sticky situation, though Dravid has found runs harder to come by, on two not out from 37 deliveries.

The inspired Anderson had figures of two for nought from his first four overs, which were all maidens. He conceded his first run from the first ball of his fifth over, when Ganguly scored a single.

Three of the first seven overs were wicket maidens.

India, needing only a draw to win the series, scored 664 in their first innings after winning the toss.

REUTERS PDS KN1820