It was proposed in the recent Cowdrey Lecture on the Spirit of Cricket that there might be experiments with an alternative to a toss of the coin to decide which team bats first. The variant suggested was that if either captain felt that there was a strong advantage in batting or bowling first, each could “bid” a certain number of runs with which the losing captain’s team could start their innings.

At Trent Bridge, England would have offered a 50-run start to India to bowl first in the moist conditions. Yesterday, they would have given away at least as many to get first use themselves of a typical Oval belter.

In the world of harsh reality, it was Rahul Dravid who won an important toss again and England who were condemned to a day in the field that went better than it might have done, worse than it should. For the second match running, India exploited their advantage admirably.

But for an unfortunate mistake by Ian Howell, the South African umpire standing in only his ninth Test in six years, their position by the end of the first day might have been one of complete command. On the other hand, had Matt Prior not clumsily dropped Sachin Tendulkar off Ryan Sidebottom when he had scored only 20 halfway through the day’s final session, India would have been 245 for four with a new ball due in 13 overs.

Prior, deemed to be the ringleader of the sniping in the second Test but no worse than several wicketkeepers in that respect, is in danger of being infected by the Geraint Jones virus. He has batted outstandingly well in his first season at Test level aged only 25, but his leaden footwork behind the stumps has been exposed and yesterday he passed 100 byes in his first seven matches, albeit with much help from wayward bowlers and umpires reluctant to call for leg-side wides.

India were eventually 283 for four when Michael Vaughan called for the new ball with eight overs of the day to go. As usual, England were behind the overrate because of the captain’s imaginative but also endless tinkerings and India offered no more chances. Tendulkar and V. V. S. Laxman survived without further discomfort to offer the prospect of some high-quality batting for today’s full house.

Yesterday it was the youngest and brightest of their stars, Dinesh Karthik, the 22-year-old from Madras, who delighted most on a day made for batting. He had thoroughly earned a second Test hundred when he was given out sparring at a ball angled across his bows four overs before tea. Nine runs short meant even more to Karthik than to most because, like many Indians, he believes in the unusual science of numerology. It has persuaded him to change his name four times since becoming a first-class cricketer, each time following advice that an extra letter either way would add up to something luckier.

He needed nothing but his talent and spark yesterday once he had overcome a testing opening burst by James Anderson and the unlucky Sidebottom. Having started as a wicketkeeper batting with a flourish down the order, opening the innings has tightened his technique without dulling the sheen of his strokeplay. A six off Monty Panesar hit inside out over extra cover into the Bedser Stand was the jewel among several beautiful strokes played with the full face of the bat through the off side.

Wasim Jaffer gave his opening partner a fluent lead once he had opened the scoring in the fourth over with a square cut for four off Anderson. When he repeated the stroke two overs later, this time scything the rising ball for six, it was clear that this was going to be a day for disciplined bowling and inventive captaincy. Jaffer, looking to cut a short ball that tucked him up, steered a catch to square third-man, but India lunched contentedly at 117 for one.

As usual, Vaughan was full of ideas. Having a leg slip or backward short leg is his latest favourite, especially against Tendulkar, but the little wizard was not inclined to jab anything off his legs or ribs a second time. He had been batting for more than three hours when he strode cheerfully back to the pavilion to prepare for the possible longer stay today that would effectively put the match and the series draw beyond England’s reach.

If England bowl as well today as yesterday, it will not be easy for Tendulkar, Laxman or the dangerous buccaneer in Mahendra Singh Dhoni who follows them. Panesar was disappointing, too often hit off the back foot, but the three main fast bowlers responded to the lost toss with a stout collective effort, especially in the second hour of the afternoon when two wickets were taken for 28 runs from 12 overs by Anderson and Sidebottom. Chris Tremlett bowled his full share of overs with the help of a cortisone injection into his shoulder on Tuesday evening.

Dravid’s fall was the most surprising after a watertight innings. His famous wall was demolished by a sudden yorker from Anderson as he shaped to whip square to the on side. Karthik’s unlucky fall three overs later appeared less of a blow to India when Sourav Ganguly, after a streaky first scoring shot in the air past second slip, settled impressively during a partnership of 77 with Tendulkar that was ended only when he was given out leg-before off an inside edge. He took the decision with perfect grace on a day happily devoid of childish snarling. Both teams have heeded the warning to set a better example than at Nottingham.