Kumble has England on the ropes

Anil Kumble continued to hog centre stage as England were forced to battle to save the follow-on against India at the Brit Oval.

Veteran wrist-spinner Kumble, who hit a maiden Test hundred on Friday in India's massive 664, dismissed both Alastair Cook and captain Michael Vaughan to draw level with Australian great Glenn McGrath in the list of all-time leading wicket-takers (563).

Both men were caught playing attacking strokes to leave England on 155 for four midway through the afternoon session.

Hopes of reaching the 465-run target to ensure India bat again in this match were firmly with Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen, both of whom were in double figures.

However, India's bowlers ensured a testing time on a pitch which yielded 348 runs in 80 overs for the tourists on day two.

They even squandered two chances to dismiss opener Cook before Kumble finally prised him out for 61, his highest score of the npower series.

Nightwatchman James Anderson played a couple of glorious drives for four during the opening hour but perished when Rudra Pratap Singh trapped him leg before.