 India escape with a draw at Lord's
23rd Jul 2007 23:42 IST
Agencies
Bad weather halted England's march to victory as India, chasing a daunting target of 380, were teetering on the brink at 282/9 when the match was abandoned due to rain on the fifth and final day of the first Test at Lord's in London today.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was waging a lone battle, remaining unbeaten on 76, with last man S Sreesanth (4) at the other end when the umpires offered them the light.
Dhoni batted for 202 minutes, faced 159 balls and hit 10 fours.
Chris Tremlett (3/52), Ryan Sidebottom (2/42), James Anderson (2/83) and Monty Panesar (2/63) shared the spoils for England.
India still needed 98 runs to win, but poor weather prevented play from resuming and meant the first match of the three-Test series was declared a draw.
India resumed the day at 137/3 with one eye on the weather.
India lost their overnight batsmen Dinesh Karthik and Sourav Ganguly in the morning session before an 86-run partnership between VVS Laxman and Dhoni lifted India to 231/5 and revived hopes of an unlikely win.
Ganguly was out leg before wicket for 40 to a straight delivery by Sidebottom and Karthik fell two balls later for 60, trying to hit a wide delivery from Anderson to give Paul Collingwood a catch at second slip.
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