India weather England charge

Monty Panesar shows his despair as England press in vain for victory © Getty Images

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England counted the cost of failing to beat the weather after bad light and rain denied them victory over a stubborn India in the opening npower Test at Lord’s.

Knowing rain was forecast for the final day, England knew they had to maximise time to ensure they had enough overs to dismiss India after they resumed on 137 for three, needing a further 243 for an unlikely win.

Last man Shantha Sreesanth was at the crease alongside Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had battled for over three hours for his unbeaten 76, when bad light forced an early tea with India 282 for nine.

Intermittent rain thereafter prevented the players retaking the field, leaving England tantalisingly close to a victory that would have given them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Captain Michael Vaughan had even attempted to bowl himself and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar in tandem to prevent the umpires offering bad light to the batsman, but failed and left India celebrating an unlikely draw.

Vaughan, who has fresh memories of South Africa hanging on to reach 290 for eight three years ago in Durban to salvage a draw, was forced to turn to spin just nine overs after taking the new ball.

But, having consulted their light meters on several occasions in the overs building up to the eventual close, umpires Steve Bucknor and Simon Taufel ended play at 3.38pm having decided the light was no longer suitable for play.

VVS Laxman has his stumps rearranged by Chris Tremlett after making a determined 39

Aware of the pessimistic weather forecasts, England would have been aware of the need to start brightly and achieved just that by claiming two wickets inside the first half hour.

Left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom claimed the prized scalp of Sourav Ganguly, who had been the senior partner in a determined 59-run fourth-wicket stand with 22-year-old opener Dinesh Karthik, in the fourth over of the day.

Expecting an outswinger, Ganguly was beaten by a straight delivery which trapped him lbw, and four overs later Karthik’s three-and-a-half-hour innings of 60 was ended when he drove James Anderson to Paul Collingwood at second slip.

Just as England’s momentum was building, India dug in courtesy of a defiant 86-run sixth-wicket stand between VVS Laxman and Dhoni which frustrated the hosts’ hardworking attack for 21 overs.

Neither batsman looked comfortable against the swinging ball or the short ball in the first innings and both rode their luck during the early stages of their partnership this time around.

Dhoni, unable to resist his natural inclination to attack, was reprieved on 14 when he flashed hard at Panesar and was missed by Collingwood at slip, and also edged Anderson just short of Andrew Strauss at first slip on 21.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni keeps England at bay en route to an unbeaten 76 © Getty Images

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Having survived those early scares, he settled down to play a disciplined innings which allows India to travel to Trent Bridge this week for the second Test on level terms.

Laxman had been equally reserved in progressing to 39, but was bowled shortly after lunch playing back to a full-length Chris Tremlett delivery which kept slightly low.

Anil Kumble followed six overs later, trapped lbw by a Sidebottom inswinger while Zaheer Khan was caught down the leg side attempting to pull Tremlett.

RP Singh, who only had to face two balls from Panesar as Dhoni successfully marshalled the strike, was bowled by the second aiming a drive down the ground.

With Vaughan attempting to rush through his overs as quickly as possible, England were favourites to claim victory, only for bad light to end play prematurely.

England’s hopes were briefly raised when play was scheduled to resume at 4.40pm but, before they could take the field, the clouds broke and rain fell steadily until the play was finally abandoned at 6.20pm.