Key's fielding howlers put India in control before series decider

Third Test: England lose advantage as superb catches by underrated Dravid expose their weaknesses

There is nothing that gives a better indication of the general wellbeing of a cricket team than its fielding – and especially its catching. This Third Test was only 15 runs old when Verinder Sehwag flashed at Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff held a supremely confident catch two-handed to his left at second slip. All was well with England at that stage.

Almost exactly two days later Rob Key was making the Ancient Mariner who "stoppeth one of three" look as if he was pretty hot stuff in the field, when he dropped his third sitter of the innings. Two were as straightforward as you are likely to get at first slip although he had to stretch to his left for the third, deep in the gully.

One's heart bled for Key for it was all too easy to see how distraught these howlers made him feel. It did not matter than the Indian declaration was then only minutes away for, in spite of all Nasser Hussain's heroic efforts in the field – he was much the best England fielder – the collective chin had fallen with a thump onto the collective chest.

The future of the match from the moment England shuffled off was all too predictable. The general perception seems to be that all teams have the odd bad match and, after all, it had been Australia's turn at Headingley last year. But their performance then compared to England's now was that of a reliable motor car to an old banger (although not of the Sanjay variety).

The two sides, at 1-1 in the series, go to the Oval on Thursday week for the deciding Test with India cock-a-hoop and England very much down in the bargain basement. The psychological advantage could have hardly made a more dramatic shift. Also, the Oval has always been the Indians favourite ground in England not least because of the huge support they get there.

The difference in the good health of the two sides was starkly underlined on the last morning when Rahul Dravid, who must be about the most underrated cricketer in the world, made two awkward catches at first slip look simplicity itself.

Poor old Flintoff, who goes from troughs of despond to peaks of exultation and back again with surprising rapidity, pushed firm-footed and nervously at his second ball. It flew to Dravid's midriff and there was never the slightest doubt that he would throw the catch aloft.

A little later, at the other end, a leg break found the edge of Alec Stewart's bat and now Dravid reached voraciously to his left and held in two hands a catch which was eminently missable. One was left to speculate of what the luckless Key might have made of it. Those in charge in the England dressing room have a great deal of important counselling to do in the intervening week and a bit before we gather in Kennington.