Anderson takes five, England beat India by 196 runs |
London: Pacer James Anderson led with five wickets as India, save Suresh Raina's resolute 78, failed to defy the strong England attack and lost the first cricket Test by 196 runs at Lord's here Sunday.
Chasing a record victory target of 458 runs, India folded up for 261 in the final session of the fifth day with 28 overs still left.
Scorecard
There were jubiliant scenes all around as Stuart Broad, who played an important role with the bat and ball, trapped Ishant Sharma plumb lbw. In all the five days, the stands were packed with fans relishing every moment of the 2000th Test of cricket's history -- and the 100th between the two nations, that saw both teams produce exhilarating cricket.
The victory gave England a 1-0 lead in the four-match series with the next Test scheduled to start at Trent Bridge Friday.
It was a brilliant performance by England. They piled up 474 in the first innings with Kevin Pietersen scoring a double century under cloudy conditions. Broad, who had to fight for his place in the team, swung the ball prodigiously to take four wickets as India were bowled out for 286 in the first innings.
To be fair to India, they were dealt a serious blow on the very first day when pace spearhead Zaheer Khan strained his hamstring and did not bowl again. India bowled with three bowlers which forced Mahendra Singh Dhoni to leave his keeping gloves and bowl eight overs of gentle medium pace to give rest to his pacers.
If that was not enough, they had Sachin Tendulkar suffering a viral infection and Gautam Gambhir hurting his elbow.
Handicapped, India fought back through Ishant Sharma in the second innings when they reduced England to 62/5 on the fourth morning, the best period they enjoyed in the Test. But Matt Prior (103) and Broad (74) made sure that England held the advantage.
First innings centurion Rahul Dravid (36) and V.V.S. Laxman (56) began strongly to see off 27 overs Sunday, batting with sublime ease.
Resuming at 80/1 Monday morning, Dravid was dismissed with addition of only 14 runs to the total.
The English pacers were relentless in testing Dravid and Laxman around the off-stump.
It was a momentary lapse of concentration for Dravid, who till then had shown great resolve and patience in leaving anything remotely around his off stump during the 93-ball stay. Dravid poked at a widish Anderson delivery and perished caught behind.
Laxman looked set for a big innings as he reached his half-century, but pulled a ball straight to Ian Bell at midwicket.
Gambhir, who could not open the innings because of a sore elbow, hung on for 56 balls before Graeme Swann trapped him lbw with a straighter one.
India went to lunch with Tendukar and Raina at crease.
An ailing Tendulkar looked a pale shadow of himself. He survived two close chances and took 40 balls to reach his 12th run before being dismissed lbw by Anderson.
Tendulkar was lucky to be dropped by Andrew Struass at second slip and survived a close leg before call off Broad.
The maestro, who came to bat amidst a rousing welcome from a packed stadium, was widely tipped to score his maiden century at Lord's and also complete his hundred international centuries. But it was not to be.
Raina and Dhoni (16) played with patience to held on the fort for the rest of the second session. The two added 60 runs before Dhoni edged a Chris Tremlett delivery to wicket-keeper Prior.
The tail hung on for a while with Raina, who played some fluent strokes and hit 10 fours before Anderson had him caught behind.
Broad, who took three wickets in the second innings, removed Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma to spark English celebrations
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