DERBYSHIRE all rounder Dominic Cork grabbed four wickets as England stole the honours at the close of the opening day of the first Test against India at Edgbaston yesterday.

Cork took four for 61, include ing the prize wicket of Sachi Tendulkar, and was well backed up by England's three other pace bowlers as India, who won the toss and chose to bat first, were bowled out for just 214.

Mike Atherton (30 not out) and Nick Knight (27 not out) then batted through 19 overs without any problems to take England to 60 without loss at close of play.

But it was England's performance in the field which caught the eye.

The pace bowling quartet of debutants Alan Mullally and Ronnie Irani plus Cork and Chris Lewis shared the wickets as they took full advantage some sloppy Indian batting.

The Indians have played only three tests since December 1994 and it showed as they went about their innings in cavalier one day fashion. From the moment that opening batsman Ajay Jadeja fell for a duck, edging a loose drive to Mike Atherton in the gully, India struggled to establish their innings.

Nasser Hussain spilled a relatively simple chance from Vikram Rathore in the second over off Cork but that was the only blemish in the field. Knight picked up three catches, one of them outstanding.

By lunch India had slipped to 80 for three as Knight snapped up Rathore off Cork for 20 and then brilliantly dived to his left at mid wicket to remove Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin for 13. That wicket gave Irani his first Test victim with his fifth ball in international cricket.

The crucial breakthrough, though, came shortly after lunch when Sachin Tendulkar played all round a straight ball from Cork and was bowled for 24.