AHMEDABAD, Dec 14: England were pressing for a series-levelling victory over India in the second Test on Friday after setting the hosts an improbable 374 runs for victory.

England rattled up 257 runs in their second innings to push home the advantage of an invaluable 116-run first innings lead before they were dismissed chasing quick runs late on the fourth evening.

At the close, India were 17 without loss from seven overs, as they strove to save the Test and preserve their 1-0 series lead on a pitch showing signs of wear and tear to encourage the inexperienced England bowling attack.

Opener Mark Butcher set England on their way to a commanding position, riding his luck to top-score with 92 before being the fifth man out at the stroke of tea.

The 29-year-old Surrey left-hander struck his second 50 of the match and his seventh overall and figured in a 112-run second wicket stand with skipper Nasser Hussain (50) which pulled the match towards the visitors.

Both batsmen were helped by poor Indian catching, Butcher carrying on after being dropped by wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta on 59 though Hussain added only three more runs after his let-off.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, infuriated after both chances were put down off his one over, rallied to finish with five for 71 for his sixth five-wicket haul in a test innings.

Leg-spinner Anil Kumble followed up his first innings 7-115 with three for 118 to claim his fourth 10-wicket haul in Tests, leaving himself one short of 300 Test wickets.

Hussain did not effect an expected declaration and England instead chose to score rapidly from their tea score of 183 for five to lose quick wickets.

Butcher played second fiddle to Hussain in the morning before opening out to sweep and cut the Indian spinners for most of his nine fours in a 202-ball innings lasting four hours and 13 minutes.

He was eventually out edging a cut against Singh to Rahul Dravid in the slips.

Hussain also maintained his fine batting form on the Indian tour to complete his second Test 50 before the off-spinner had him caught at forward short-leg.

He hit three fours besides hoisting Kumble over long-on for a six in his 116-ball effort.

Michael Vaughan, struggling for runs and relegated to number seven, remained unbeaten on 31 in the end.

In the morning paceman Javagal Srinath got rid of Marcus Trescothick in the day’s fourth over after England resumed at their overnight 15 for no loss, an overall lead of 131.

The left-hander failed to get on top of a pull and Shiv Sundar Das took a tumbling catch at midwicket.

But the Indians had themselves to blame for not getting on top of the England innings after putting down two clear chances and missing a couple of close ones.

Young wicket-keeper Dasgupta, who had a poor match behind the stumps, failed to reach a catch after Srinath had forced Hussain to edge before he had scored.

Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly then dropped his counterpart after Hussain skied a Harbhajan off-break to midwicket on 47.

Butcher himself was lucky on seven when he pushed back a delivery only to see Kumble fail to complete the catch diving forward on his follow-through.

Mark Ramprakash, promoted to step up the scoring, made 19 runs from 27 balls and twice lofted Kumble for sixes over mid-wicket and long-on before sweeping Harbhajan to Tendulkar at fine-leg.