After a defeat at Edgbaston and the better part of a draw at Lord's, India arrived for their last visit to Trent Bridge - in 1996 - needing a win to level the series. But a docile, flat track was not what they had ordered. Although the match was threatened with spells of rain, it produced a flood of runs instead. Nevertheless, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, India quickly slumped to 33 for 2. But young Sourav Ganguly, fresh from a debut hundred at Lord's, eased their minds with a masterful innings and went on to share a record third wicket partnership of 255 with guess who? Yup, Sachin Tendulkar. Every run was especially painful for Michael Atherton, who dropped a clanger when he fumbled Tendulkar in the gully on 0. Sachin departed 177 runs later while Ganguly made 136 - joining an elite band of players who have made two centuries in their first two Tests.

With the best part of two days gone, England began their reply in a cautious mood - if they saved the follow-on they would seal the series. And thanks to Rahul Dravid, Atherton and Alec Stewart survived 11 overs on the second evening. Ominously for India, Atherton was dropped by Dravid at slip when he had yet to score, and was reprieved again on 34. In the course of his innings he was beaten more times than Bangladesh, but somehow managed to scrape to his fourth hundred at Nottingham.

If Atherton mirrored Tendulkar, then Ganguly's doppelganger was England's No. 3, Nasser Hussain. He confidently stroked his way to his second century of the series, and brushed away England's No. 3 problem. There were no three-fingered salutes this time. Even though Hussain's poppadom fingers were given their first crushing on the fourth day, England were well on their way to the draw they needed.

Almanack report
Scorecard

Freddie Auld is on the staff of Wisden.com.

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