Arms aloft for Rahul, it's his 150 from 253 balls and he gets there in style with his 11th four, clipping Root to the mid-wicket fence. It's his second 150 and he's closing in on his highest Test score of 158.

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Dom Harrison: Tendulkar Loving Care, wherein a post-retirement Sachin retrains as a nurse, with Carry On style consequences.  

Just seeing what transpired at the end of that last over. Root hurled the ball at the wicketkeeper and it nearly took Rahul's head off. Root apologised but when the batsmen asked for an explanation it was rather less than apologetic from the Yorkshireman. Not too much camaraderie between the teams, we've certainly all been there, some of us still are. Dawson continues but the batsmen are far from up a creek, two more easy runs for Rahul on the leg side. Broad is back on.

Joe Root does indeed march up to the crease to take the ball. But it is not the new one suffice to say. Karun unveils the reverse sweep and is rewarded with his third boundary. Young Root has a rather unfriendly word for the batsman, where did he learn those naughty words from?

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Another steady but unspectacular over from Dawson. The line from Chennai disappears for the first time today so the venerable Kevin Howells steps in from upstairs here in Salford. Stuart Broad leaves the field, not sure what for exactly. He was breaking into a light trot so it may not be an injury. New ball due. 

Joe Root is practising some rigorous seamers rather than the gentle offies he sends down, but he might well be on soon as the seventh bowler. Stokes still reminds me of Gary Windass from Coronation Street, but he is not smiling much today. The all-rounder is giving it his utmost as ever, but both batsmen collect singles with ease.

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Appealing looking choc ices being consumed in the crowd. For a month I gave up my favourite ones that have the same name as the bat Ian Botham used to use, along with alcohol - still talking about what I gave up here - but found I'd managed to gain weight rather than lose it. Dawson has more of a short cover than a silly point, about seven yards from the bat, but there is no chance of a catch wherever he is.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

It's just a yard too short. The England seamers could get it up a little further. Speculate a bit.

A 10th four for Rahul, over the vacant third slip area it goes off Stokes and it brings up the fifty partnership. England need to get on with this, there are still 33 overs left.

Dan Morgan: How about Aggers Drawn: Aggers sits for a portrait by different artist each week

Dawson shares the opening spell for the third successive session. He's sent down 14 overs for 47 now. It's tidy but nothing to really grab you. I was going to make an analogy but I will think better of it.

A tired looking bouncer from Stokes loops through to Bairstow down the leg side at 79mph. There are five overs left until the new ball, but will they take it on this pitch? England still have two reviews remaining for those last five overs. We haven't seen one today, such has been the dominance of the bat. 

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India's super fan, body completely painted in national colours, not sure about the lower half, waves his flag (not a euphemism) triumphantly and Ben Stokes will resume the bowling.

Anyway, moving on. We have a scheduled 36 overs to get through in this final session so we are going to need some 'user generated content' from you good folk. They call day three of a golf tournament moving day, but are we going to see any significant strides here? How will England approach the crucial third innings? Might as well lose 4-0 and go out in a brave attempt at glory? Got to take another seven wickets first...

Thanks Stephan, I'm trying to forget that, as no doubt is my friend and landlord, partner of the aforementioned exuberant hostess. Are you still doing cricketing TV programmes? I was thinking "Gomes under the hammer" a public auction for the services of ample-afroed former West Indies left-hander Larry Gomes.

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