India battle to stay in Lord's test

LONDON, July 23 (Reuters) India, set 380 to win, reached 207 for five at lunch on the fifth and final day of the first test against England at Lord's today and were still scrapping for survival.

VVS Laxman (29 not out) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (on 28) have so far frustrated the home team in their push for victory with a sixth-wicket stand of 62, after two wickets in the morning session.

India require another 173 runs for an unlikely win.

India's overnight batsmen Sourav Ganguly and Dinesh Karthik were dismissed within the first half-hour of the day, as England embarked on a race against the weather with dark clouds hovering after meteorologists forecast heavy rain in London all day.

Ganguly departed first, when he played down the wrong line and was lbw to left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom for 40. That wicket brought an end to his promising stand of 59 with Karthik.

Opener Karthik was soon tempted into edging James Anderson to Paul Collingwood at second slip for 60. His three-and-a-half-hour innings did not receive any applause from his team mates on the balcony.

The naturally aggressive Dhoni wafted at his first delivery without making contact and did not score until his 14th ball as England increased the pressure.

He occasionally lived dangerously and edged spinner Monty Panesar in between slip and wicketkeeper for three when on 14, as Collingwood was unable to react quickly enough to take a difficult chance diving to his left.

Dhoni was also fortunate to survive on 21 when umpire Steve Bucknor rejected Panesar's appeal for lbw, with the batsman on the back foot. Television replays suggested the ball would have struck the top of leg stump.

Laxman has been solid for the most part and if the wet weather misses Lord's, he will need to bat for a long time yet. Anderson has figures of two for 66.

India have only once scored more than 300 to win a test batting fourth (406).

India have not won a test series in England for 21 years, while England are seeking a fourth successive test match win after three wins against West Indies.

Reuters BJR GC1830