England enjoyed another dominant day against India by bowling the tourists out for 224 on the first day of the third test at Edgbaston on Wednesday before closing on 84 without loss. Andrew Strauss, who won the toss for the first time in the four-match series, was 52 not out and Alastair Cook was on 27 after India's pace bowlers were unable to exact any kind of control. Strauss raised England's 50 with a square cut for four off Shanthakumaran Sreesanth for his seventh boundary that took him to 31. He later registered his own half-century 13 balls from the close, his first test fifty of the English summer. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni raised India's spirits with an enterprising 77 from 96 balls, leading a fightback from 111 for seven after lunch. Dhoni and Praveen Kumar (26) added a run-a-ball 84 for the eighth wicket to frustrate England. Tim Bresnan (four for 62) and Stuart Broad (four for 53) shared the wickets.

It was pretty tough, India coach Duncan Fletcher told reporters. Unfortunately that toss was pretty important. Those two wickets that England got just before lunch really put us on the back foot. We are not out of the match, Fletcher added. If it doesn't swing and seam (in the second innings) we have players there who have 200s and 300s on their CVs. And we have the bowling also to follow up.

Bresnan, understandably buoyant after following his test best figures and 90 with the bat at Trent Bridge, said the team wanted to bring some joy to the fans following four days of rioting and civil unrest in Britain.