IndiaPost.com - Rain rescues India

LONDON: The weather gods came to India's rescue in the nick of time to save them from a certain defeat against England who needed just one wicket to wrap up the first cricket Test at Lord's here.

Chasing a stiff target of 380, the Indians were at 282 for 9 at tea on the fifth and final day when the divine intervention prevented the home team from taking a 1-0 lead in the three-test series.

It turned out to be a cruel blow of fate for England who dominated the Test right from the opening day despite a depleted bowling attack and needed only a few more minutes to seal victory.

India owed their great escape to a 86-run partnership for the sixth wicket between VVS Laxman (39) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (76 not out). Mahendra Singh Dhoni continued to wage a lonely battle after the loss of Laxman and last man Sreesanth (four not out) blocked what turned out to be crucial deliveries before the umpires offered them the light.

Play was finally abandoned for the day half-an-hour before the scheduled cut-off time due to light deteriorated and drizzle. 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.

The teams now move over to Nottingham where they play the second Test from July 27 at Trent Bridge. India resumed the day at 137 for three with one eye on the weather. However, none of the batsmen apart from Dhoni and VVS Laxman (39) displayed the willingness to stay at the wicket.

Dhoni and Laxman put on 86 runs for their sixth wicket stand and defied England for 118 minutes. However, once Laxman was bowled by Chris Tremlett, half an hour after lunch, wickets tumbled quickly and defeat stared at India in the face.

Dhoni then took the attack to the England bowlers, posting his fifth Test half-century, and taking as much strike as possible to shield the tail end batsmen. Ganguly was dismissed leg before wicket by Sidebottom as early as in the fourth over of the day.

Ganguly batted 85 minutes and faced 64 balls for his 40 that included six fours. Kaarthick followed Ganguly into the hut just two runs later when he went for an expansive drive and the outside edge carried straight to Paul Collingwood at second slip.

Kaarthick batted 210 minutes for his knock of 60. He faced 135 balls and hit 7 fours. Laxman and Dhoni overcame a difficult period early on in their innings to grind their heels firmly. Laxman got off the mark with a flash over gully off Sidebottom while Dhoni first found the fence with an uppish cut off Anderson over slips.

Dhoni had an escape when on 14 when he edged an arm ball from Panesar and Paul Collingwood at first slip was late to react as he stretched out his left hand. The flamboyant batsman made the most of his good fortune driving Chris Tremlett through the covers.

Laxman too overcame his initial hesitancy to take two fours in an over off Tremlett driving him on the off side between point and cover. The pair soon brought up their half-century stand for the sixth wicket before Dhoni flicked Anderson to the long leg boundary just before lunch.

However, half an hour after lunch, Tremlett gave England the much-needed break through as he bowled Laxman neck and crop to the one that cut back sharply and hit the top of the stumps. Laxman faced 90 balls and hit five fours.

Anil Kumble (3) then put up a stiff resistance for 28 minutes as dark clouds surrounded Lord's. However, Sidebottom ended his vigil in the third over with the second new ball, trapping him leg before to the one that swung in and beat his bat.

Dhoni then brought up his fifth Test half century - his second against England - in the company of Zaheer Khan and also posted India 250 on the board. As the Indian team looked to the heavens from the Lord's balcony, hoping for the rains to arrive soon, Zaheer Khan became the eighth man to be dismissed when he threw his wicket away playing a wild shot.

He went for a pull to a short ball well out side his leg stump from Tremlett and edged it to the keeper to be out for a 15-ball duck. At 259 for 8, the light got worse and as a result Michael Vaughan had to bring himself on to bowl in the 90th over of the innings.