Rain holds up England's march to victory

LONDON, July 23: Bad weather halted England's march to victory as India, chasing a daunting target of 380, were teetering on the brink at 282 for nine at tea on the fifth and final day of the first cricket Test at Lord's on Monday.
Rains have been forecast for the afternoon and India would certainly be happy to seek divine help in saving the first Test.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was waging a lone battle, remaining unbeaten on 76, with last man Sree Santh on four at the other end when the umpires offered them the light.
Dhoni has so far batted for 202 minutes, faced 159 balls and hit 10 fours.
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 had just one scoring stroke in the day - a flicked boundary off Anderson - before he was dismissed leg before by Sidebottom as early as in the fourth over of the day. Ganguly batted 85 minutes and faced 64 balls for his 40 runs that included six fours.
Kaarthick followed Ganguly into the hut just two runs later when he went for an expansive drive, playing away from the body, to a full length delivery from Anderson 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.
Since then Laxman and Dhoni overcame a difficult period early on in their innings to grind their heels firmly. Both the batsmen played and missed a few times against Sidebottom whose first spell read an amazing 6-3-6-1.
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. India was then on 172 for 5.
The flamboyant batsman made the most of his good fortune driving Chris Tremlett through the covers.
Laxman too over came 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, Michael Vaughan took the second new ball immediately after 80 overs and Sidebottom ended his vigil in the third over with the 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.
His 50 took him 161 minutes. He faced 120 balls and hit 6 fours.
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 as a result Michael Vaughan brought had to bring himself on to bowl in the 90th over of the innings.
RP Singh was the ninth man out as he tried to go for an outrageous shot on the on-side when he should have been playing safe. He played all over a Monty Panesar delivery and was bowled for two.
Sree Santh survived a confident shout for leg before against Panesar as umpire Steve Bucknor remained unmoved.