England capture two wickets in eight balls at Lord's

England captured two wickets in the space of eight balls shortly before lunch on the final day of the first test against India at Lord’s on Monday to move closer to victory in the 2,000th test.

By (Reuters)

• Follow us on
• 
• 
• 

Published: Mon 25 Jul 2011, 6:49 PM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 6:32 PM

At the interval India, the world number one side who need a world record 458 to win the first match in the four-test series, were 142 for four.

Sachin Tendulkar, who received a standing ovation in what is likely to be his final test at Lord’s, was seven not out at lunch.

Tendulkar, 38, needs one more century to reach an unprecedented 100^th international hundreds. He was absent from the field for most of Sunday with a virus infection and batted one place lower than usual at number five.

James Anderson removed the adhesive Rahul Dravid (36) and the prolific Vangipurappu Laxman (56) after India had resumed their second innings on 80 for one. Graeme Swann captured the other wicket to fall, dismissing Gautam Gambhir lbw for 22.

Dravid, who batted for 5-1/2 hours in his unbeaten 103 in India’s first innings, was caught behind by Matt Prior on Monday pushing at a delivery which moved away from the right-hander.

He had been dropped on 35 by Ian Bell off Chris Tremlett after a thick inside edge on to his pad ballooned to short-leg. Bell leaped high and got his fingers to the ball but could not hold on to a difficult chance.

Laxman edged a boundary off Anderson at catchable height between second slip and gully but was otherwise untroubled.

After resuming on 32, he reached 48 when Prior and the England slip cordon went up for what they thought was a catch behind. Captain Andrew Strauss called for a review when umpire Billy Bowden did not react but the replay showed there was a clear gap between bat and ball.

Laxman reached his 53^rd test half-century with a leg glance to the boundary, his eighth four, but then played a loose shot to Anderson and was caught by Bell at mid-wicket.

Gambhir, who left the field on Sunday in some pain after he was struck on the elbow at short-leg by a sweep shot from Prior, twice leaned back to cut Swann to the boundary. He was beaten through the air pushing forward to the off-spinner and, although lbws can not be reviewed in this series, there was no dispute about the decision.

Tendulkar, who was applauded all the way as he walked to the crease, was beaten by Anderson’s first ball which snaked in between bat and pad. He turned the fifth delivery deftly to leg to get off the mark with a boundary.

Spectators started queuing from three a.m for the cash-only tickets on sale at the gates and the ground was filled to its 28,500 capacity.