Dravid leads India to commanding position at close of first day Rahul Dravid is often a textbook example of technique, and yesterday was no different. On a Headingley pitch that offered the bowlers enough encouragement - seam, swing and bounce - Dravid held resolute centre-stage for almost the entire day, ending on 110 off 247 balls, with 16 fours. There was style, but more importantly for India, there was courage. Dravid was rapped on the fingers more than once, and each time he returned to fight harder. He was given good company for 170 runs by makeshift opener Sanjay Bangar, who made a critic-defying 68 off 236 balls after his more illustrious partner, Virender Sehwag, was caught at slip for eight. At the close of play, Dravid was accompanied at the crease by Sachin Tendulkar on 18, and India, reaching 236 for two, could look back on a steady, albeit slow, first-day performance. Runs are likely to be a premium on this wicket, but it remains to be seen if India's bowlers do even marginally better than England's.

England's bowling effort displeases coach Fletcher England's bowlers left coach Duncan Fletcher fuming after India ended the first day of the third Test on an imposing 236 for two. "We had an off day, " a disgruntled Fletcher said, suggesting that the home team should have been looking to dismiss the touring side. "We didn't really learn the lessons from Trent Bridge, where the conditions were similar," he added, saying they had bowled too short and wide despite the helpful swing and bounce on offer on Thursday. "Our bowlers just have to make the batters play - you can't afford to let batsmen leave so many deliveries." Rahul Dravid, who also made a century in the drawn second Test, cashed in with 110 not out, putting on 170 with Sanjay Bangar for the second wicket. Fletcher said of that effort: "Dravid was a class act. India like him playing that role. He showed a lot of guts." But he added, "Six or seven wickets down would have been par for the course today, on a good day it could have been all out. Maybe the excessive bounce confused the bowlers over the length they should bowl." Dravid said, "I thought they bowled quite well initially. My fingers took a beating, but you forget that after scoring a hundred. It was quite a challenging wicket." It is something I will look back on in my career and enjoy for days to come," said Dravid. "I thought they bowled quite well initially. My fingers took a beating but you forget that after scoring a hundred. It was quite a challenging wicket. We always knew we were a good batting side and can have days like this. It is a bit better than we expected, but we will take this."

Where is Headingley headed? Headingley is a lovely ground, but Yorkshire's cricket association may not be able to maintain it in the style it deserves for much longer. They could in fact go out of business as early as next Thursday if the rules are not changed to allow a five-million-pound loan from HSBC. Creditors are owed more than one million pounds by a county that, just last year, celebrated their first County Championship in more than three decades. The chairman of Yorkshire has resigned, and the current financial crisis may prompt the inclusion of new management. Headingley itself has been leased by the cricket association from its owner, Paul Caddick, and 82 years of the 99-year lease still remain. Not least upset, undoubtedly, will be Sachin Tendulkar, who became the first overseas professional to play for Yorkshire and recently called his time with the county as the best few months of his life.

Keep yourself updated on the ICC Contract Row as events happen with CricInfo's special page. Click Here Relive the unbelievable. Get India's thrill-a-minute NatWest final win on DVD or video. Click Here Think Shiv Sunder Das should have been opening instead? Send in your rants and raves to "The Writer in You." Click Here