Ind vs Eng: England win first Test against India by 196 runs, lead series 1-0

New Delhi - 25 July 2011: England bowlers produced a superb bowling performance to clinch a convincing win by 196 runs overIndiain the first Test match at Lord's.

India had to bat out a day and a session and they started well, with Laxman and Dravid looking good to repeat their past heroics. But there were no miracles this time as both threw away their wickets after getting starts, and none of the other batsmen sparing Raina could survive for long against the testing attack.

Brilliant effort from England. They were put in to bat under overcast conditions but they responded in style with 478, largely thanks to Pietersen's double ton. All the talk was about Sachin's 100th Ton when India batted but it was Dravid who shone, scoring his 33rd Test ton and helping India avoid the follow on.

India showed signs of a comeback when Ishant bowled a superb spell on Sunday but a stunning late partnership from Broad and Prior put the game away.

On Day 5 India lost quick wickets after Dhoni fell asHarbhajan Singh(12) and Praveen Kumar (2) could not contribute much for a draw.

Tremlett had been bowling in the corridor of uncertainty throughout to MS Dhoni and he finally got his reward. Dhoni poked at it away from the body, got a thin edge and Prior took a dolly. No heroics of 2011 World Cup final this time for the India skipper as his side tottering at 225/6.

India were 218/5 at tea asSuresh Rainascored a gritty fifty to lead his side's fightback against the English.

Sachin Tendulkar was the only wicket to fall in between lunch and tea - he was looking good but suddenly went into his shell, thereby losing himself in the process. But Raina and Dhoni have been positive since then and have put on a 50-plus stand in a relatively quick time.

Sachin Tendulkar fell to England pacerJames Andersonleaving India depleted at 165/5.

It was a perfect set-up by Anderson, got the in-swinger going and catching Tendulkar half forward, it dipped back to him sharply, moved past the defence and caught him plumb in-front of the wicket.

England produced a dominating bowling performance to reduce India to 142/4 at lunch.

VVS Laxmanand Gautam Gambhir fell in quick succession as India's star-studded top order stutter in pursuit of 458 runs.

The first session on the last day belonged firmly to England. They have managed to pries out three important wickets. The three dismissed were arguably the best players for India in the fourth innings and two of them, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, perished to poor shots.

Swann bowled a beauty of a delivery, it was sliding on from round the wicket, Gambhir was hit on the pad first and that looked pretty plumb to the naked eye.

Anderson strike once again after taking the wicket of Rahul Dravid. It was a short ball and Laxman went for the pull, did not bother to keep it down though and it went straight to Bell at mid-wicket, he took it just over his head and Laxman perished after getting a good start.

James Anderson won the duel whenRahul Dravidchased an away going ball to hand a catch toMatt Prior.

There was just a lapse of concentration on the part of Dravid, as he fished at a ball going away from him to give a simple catch to England's wicketkeeper.

India, at the close of the fourth day, were 80 for one in their second innings. They need a further 378 in a minimum of 98 overs on Monday's final day to reach their victory target - a run-rate of 3.85 an over.

source: TOI