Kaneria fear for England

Danish Kaneria emerged as the major threat to England's hopes of saving the final npower Test after claiming a key breakthrough early on the fourth day at The Oval.

Pakistan's leg-spinner utilised the footmarks available from the Vauxhall End to dismiss Andrew Strauss and could also have claimed the scalp of Alastair Cook.

His breakthrough in the 11th over of the day left England on 115 for two after they resumed the fourth morning still 253 runs adrift on 78 for one.

Essex batsman Cook, who resumed overnight on 33, was fortunate not to fall to the fourth ball of the day with Kaneria extracting turn and bounce from the footmarks.

Pushing forward defensively without adding to his overnight total, Cook thrust out the pad but the ball also hit his bat before being caught by Imran Farhat at silly point, only for umpire Billy Doctrove to ignore the appeal.

Just four overs later Cook was given a further reprieve when former Essex team-mate Kaneria bowled him off a no-ball to increase Pakistan's frustration.

While Cook was clearly struggling against the turn Kaneria was extracting, Strauss was able to relieve the pressure by driving the first ball of the day from Mohammad Asif for his ninth boundary to bring up his half-century.

But just three overs later Strauss' impressive innings was brought to a halt with Doctrove upholding an appeal for leg before from Kaneria despite it hitting England's stand-in captain outside the line of the stumps.