Scorecard and stats I Mike Atherton's analysis I Did Collingwood get the worst umpiring decision of the year? I Winning the toss could yet prove England's saving grace

India hit back in the final session of the opening day's play of the first Test in Madras after Andrew Strauss's thirteenth Test century had given England a solid start after winning the toss

The 31-year-old left-hander shrugged off the disruption to England's warm-up for the series by putting together a first-wicket stand of 118 with Alastair Cook (52) as England reached 229-5 by stumps at the heavily guarded Chidambaram stadium.

India fought back with four wickets after tea to end the day with honours even on a barren track that is expected to turn later in the match as England slumped from a commanding 164-1 to 221-5 soon after the break following a double strike by Zaheer.

The left-arm seamer trapped Ian Bell leg-before for 17 with the second delivery after tea and then took a return catch as Kevin Pietersen (four) top-edged a hook high into the air.

India earned a lucky break soon after when Paul Collingwood (nine) was declared caught at short-leg off Harbhajan by umpire Billy Bowden. Television replays showed the ball go off the pad.

Strauss finally fell after a dour six-hour vigil at the crease when he was beaten in the air by leg-spinner Amit Mishra and spooned a low return catch to the bowler.

At stumps Andrew Flintoff was unbeaten on 18 and nightwatchman James Anderson was on two.

Strauss' innings, which included 15 boundaries, was a triumph of determination over adversity after he was denied any meaningful match practice in the build-up by the tourists' decision to return home in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on Mumbai.

He entered today's opening Test having only had three innings for Middlesex during the Stanford Series since the end of last summer, but shrugged off his disrupted preparation in style to lead England's challenge.

Both captains had stated prior to the match they would bat given the choice on a Chepauk Stadium wicket expected to deteriorate and Pietersen gave the tourists a huge lift by calling correctly at the toss.

It was the perfect boost for the tourists following the distractions of being asked to consider safety and security reports in the build-up with Strauss and Alastair Cook, who was equally deprived of match practice, forging a 118-run opening stand.

The pitch offered so little encouragement to India's seamers that captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni turned to the left-arm spin of Harbhajan Singh after just 37 minutes play without providing any greater threat to England's opening stand.

But just three overs after reaching his half-century, Cook's hopes of claiming a Test hundred ended when he attempted a slog-sweep against Harbhajan, a shot which had proved very successful for both openers during their stand spanning 40 overs. Cook mis-timed the shot on this occasion and looped the ball high in the air for Zaheer to collect the catch at mid-on for 52 - the 15th time in his Test career he had passed 50 without going on to score a century.

Ian Bell kept Strauss company for 50 minutes until the tea interval, but became the first to perish during a stunning spell of 6-3-12-2 from Zaheer, walking across his stumps to fall lbw to the second ball after the interval.

Strauss survived several close shaves to complete his century seven overs after tea, guiding Zaheer to the third man boundary before punching the air with delight at reaching the milestone. His joy was shortlived, however, with Pietersen giving a return catch in Zaheer's next over after he mis-timed an attempted pull high in the air.

But Paul Collingwood had perhaps the most reason to feel aggrieved after being wrongly given out by umpire Billy Bowden for a catch at short leg off Harbhajan which clearly came off his pad. Only seven overs before the close, Strauss' innings spanning nearly six hours was halted by emerging leg-spinner Mishra when he offered a return catch.