NAGPUR (India), March 2: Paul Collingwood smashed his maiden Test hundred to spur a magnificent fightback by England in the first Test against India on Thursday. Batting at five, Collingwood hit 134 not out and marshalled a gritty display by the tail-enders to lift injury-stricken England from serious trouble to 393 all out on the second day.

India were 136 for one in reply at stumps. Opener Wasim Jaffer was 73 not out after completing his fourth test 50 on his recall to the side after four years.

Captain Rahul Dravid was on 40 when play was halted two overs early due to poor light. The pair added 125 after an early setback when explosive opener Virender Sehwag was out for two.

Collingwood hammered 13 fours and four sixes during his effort lasting almost six hours.

He piled up 149 runs for the last three wickets after England were 246 for seven overnight. He reached his hundred in the company of last man Monty Panesar.

Debutant seamer Shantakumaran Sreesanth was the most successful Indian bowler, taking four for 95.

All-rounder Andrew Flintoff is leading the England side which is without captain Michael Vaughan and fast bowler Simon Jones, both injured, and vice-captain Marcus Trescothick who left the tour for personal reasons.

The 29-year-old Collingwood stared down the Indian bowling attack, including their two world class spinners Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble, on a slow pitch. He picked the right ball to unleash a variety of superb shots.

The one-day specialist, playing in his sixth Test, had come close to reaching 100 in his last two innings in the third Test against Pakistan in Lahore in December, falling at 96 and 80.

In Lahore, he was dismissed playing a hook, but this time Collingwood displayed no nerves.

He hoisted off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for a straight six to reach 99 and then picked three off the next ball.

On 53 overnight, Collingwood added 23 for the eighth wicket with Matthew Hoggard, who made 11 and stayed put for almost an hour to frustrate Indian bowlers.

He then added 60 with Harmison who made a 42-ball 39.

Harmison smashed Sreesanth for three consecutive fours, all authentic shots, to take England past the 300-run mark, scoring seven boundaries in all.

Collingwood was on 79 when debutant Panesar walked in. The newcomer was not expected to last long but he dug in to enable his team mate to reach triple figures before falling leg before to Sreesanth after lunch for nine.

Opening batsman Alastair Cook scored 60 on his Test debut and captain Flintoff contributed 43 on Wednesday.

The tall Jaffer continued his splendid form in domestic tournaments, playing a string of well-timed drives against paceman Harmison and left-arm spinner Panesar.

Jaffer hit 13 fours in his 170-ball knock as both Harmison and captain Andrew Flintoff struggled for line and rhythm.

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