It was disheartening to see the Indians capitulate so timidly. Their top two players were blanked 3-0, none of the matches went into the deciding fifth game, and generally, the Indians were made to look like our contingent at the Olympics -- medal-less and distraught.

True, the format -- 150 points up per frame -- was a lottery, as the cueists needed only one solid break to close the game. The Indians, however, appeared unwilling to join the sweepstakes. Their game often meandered to the lower half of the table. The Englishmen, in contrast, guided the three balls to the top of the table with an alertness usually exhibited by deer that were unwilling to be members of the food chain. Once there, it was bread-and-butter stuff for four of theworld's leading players.

Much rested on Indian skipper Geet Sethi to give India a good start. But he looked sluggish, and admitted later that he struggled to find his rhythm. His 21-year-old opponent Chris Shutt, that smiling assassin, didn't need to do anything spectacular. Breaks of 50 and 58 (unfinished) in the first game, a 96 in the second, and two 40s in the third saw him through.

Ashok Shandilya was the only Indian to make any impact. He led 124-68 in the first game before Peter Gilchrist logged an unfinished 83 to go one-up. Shandilya came back with a century in the second to draw level. Gilchrist won the third, and Shandilya looked all set to make it 2-2 with an opening break of 118. But at 146-30, Shandilya missed the red. He later spoke in a self-critical vein, ``The finishing is all that matters, and I messed up there. I wish I had wrapped up when I was ahead. 1-3 down is much better than 0-4,'' as Nalin Patel and Devendra Joshi gave in to the superior play David Causier and World championMike Russell.

When Patel and Sethi lost the opening doubles, India were 0-5 down. Shandilya and Joshi salvaged some pride by claiming the final doubles, beating Russell and Causier 3-1.

CHANGE IN FORMAT: Amidst gaining odds that the Test would end on the second day itself, the organisers decided to cancel all the four singles scheduled tomorrow. Only two doubles will be played, leaving eight singles, if needed, for the third day.

Results (prefix denotes world ranking)

England 5 India 1: 6-Chris Shutt bt 2-Geet Sethi 3-0 (154-58, 150-52, 150-66); 4-Peter Gilchrist bt 8-Ashok Shandilya 3-1 (151-135, 77-150, 151-93, 150-146); 3-David Causier bt 7-Nalin Patel 3-0 (151-60, 150-72, 151-41); 1-Mike Russell bt 9-Devendra Joshi 3-1 (150-10, 92-151, 150-42, 150-79); Gilchrist & Shutt bt Sethi & Patel 3-0 (152-83, 151-27, 150-30); Russell & Causier lost to Shandilya & Joshi 1-3 (152-107, 70-151, 96-150, 0-150).