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 on Monday.
Set a daunting target of 458, India’s famed batting order failed to bat out the final day as they folded up for 261 in 96.3 overs at Lord’s.
The left-handed Raina stood bravely amid the ruins with a gritty knock during which he faced 136 balls and hit 10 boundaries, while VVS Laxman (54) and Dravid (36) were the other notable scorers in a rather disappointing batting show by the number one Test team.
The Indians needed to play out the fifth day but a combination of poor shot selection and some horrendous strokes allowed the hosts to run away with the match at a packed Lord’s, a record as far as turnout is concerned at the hallowed venue.
The English dressing room broke into celebration as Stuart Broad trapped last man Ishant Sharma to signal the victory in the centenary Test between the two sides.
The two teams will now travel to Nottingham for the second Test beginning July 29.
James Anderson was the pick of the English bowlers, finishing with impressive figures of five for 65, while Broad took three for 57 to break the back of a team, which will lose its numero uno status if the hosts win the series by two or more Tests.
India, who began the day at 80 for one, lost three wickets in the first session, senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar in the middle, and the remaining five in the final session.
The visitors lost their last five wickets for 36 runs within a space of 68 balls.
The two overnight batsmen, Dravid and Laxman, were guilty of losing their wickets to poor shot selection, while Gautam Gambhir (22) played the wrong line to off-spinner Graeme Swann in the first session.
Tendulkar appeared exhausted due to the viral infection and could only make 12 runs from 85 minutes of batting and even though Raina and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (16) saw through the final hour of the middle session, the second new ball was always going to be the telling factor.
England claimed the second new ball when it was due.
Dhoni unnecessarily played at a Chris Tremlett delivery and was easily caught behind, Harbhajan Singh fell to Anderson, and the rest of the batting did not appear to have the heart to deny England.
Anderson was England’s hero of the day and his fiver included the trinity of Indian batting – Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar – besides top scorer Raina and Harbhajan.
Raina, who battled hard for his runs, was the ninth batsman out, edging one off Anderson. (PTI)