Dominic Cork and Ashley Giles slowed the tourists' run-rate to a crawl in a final session truncated by bad light, but India were still able to progress to 315-4 at the close, just one run short of their follow-on target.

Dravid will resume on the fourth morning still there on 131 not out, with VVS Laxman unbeaten on 14.

After scoring 109 off 28 overs in the afternoon session, India were reduced to just 55 runs from the 30.2 overs after tea.

The architect behind that transformation in scoring rates was Cork, consistently digging the ball in short to such an extent that India scored off only 11 deliveries during his 11-over spell after tea. India scored only one boundary during that period.

They also lost captain Sourav Ganguly, who had looked all set to follow Dravid to a century after racing to 51 off only 84 balls, when Cork dug the ball in short once again and tempted him into trying a hook.

Instead of connecting firmly, the ball flicked Ganguly's bat en route to Alec Stewart behind the stumps, who took his 200th Test catch comfortably and Cork celebrated by running past the slip cordon in a manner similar to the goalscorer in a World Cup final.

Unlike Ganguly, neither Laxman or Dravid were unsettled enough to repeat the mistake and an hour after they were able to take the new ball, Nasser Hussain finally took it and allowed Andrew Caddick and Matthew Hoggard to bowl out until the close.

Resuming overnight on 65, Dravid's innings was flawless and contained 17 boundaries, and held India's reply together on several occasions when England looked as if they could take control of the Test.

He lost Sanjay Bangar for 21 when he edged Hoggard to Butcher at second slip in the seventh over of the day.

Sachin Tendulkar then came to the crease for his 100th Test. He got into his rhythm with a brilliant cut for four off Caddick and hit another nine boundaries en route to his half-century.

But he was undone four runs later by an inswinging yorker from Caddick which hit him full on the front boot and umpire Asoka de Silva upheld the appeal.

At 178 for three and still 138 runs away from avoiding the follow on, England had the momentum until Ganguly and Dravid took it away with their thrilling 105-run partnership spanning only 30 overs, until Cork struck to halt their momentum.