Tendulkar goes as India collapse against England

LONDON: Sachin Tendulkar failed to score his 100th international hundred at Lord's here on Saturday and his exit sparked an India slump as England seized control of the first Test.

India, at tea on the third day, were 193 for five in reply to England's first innings 474 for eight declared -- a deficit of 281 runs and still 82 shy of avoiding the follow-on.

Stuart Broad led England's attack with three for 28 in 14 overs, removing Tendulkar for 34 after dismissing India left-handed openers Gautam Gambhir and Abhinav Mukund before lunch.

Rahul Dravid was 59 not out at tea, with India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni unbeaten on four.

England, who will replace India at the top of the ICC's Test Championship table if they win this four-match series by two Tests, struggled as Dravid and Tendulkar, India's two most experienced batsmen, compiled a third-wicket stand of 81.

But from 158 for two, India lost three wickets for 25 runs.

The 38-year-old Tendulkar was given the unusual honour of a standing ovation by a capacity 28,500 crowd as he walked out to bat in what could be his last Test at Lord's, with India 77 for two.

He had been rested from India's recent tour of the West Indies and spent much of the intervening time practising at Lord's, where his top score in seven previous Test innings was a mere 37.

Tendulkar's first boundary, a backfoot puched cover-drive off fast bowler Chris Tremlett, was a classic.

This was the 2,000th Test and the 100th between England and India and many fans had come hoping to witness a 'fairytale' century from Tendulkar.

But it was not to be when a 58-ball innings featuring six fours ended when Tendulkar could only edge a good length ball from Broad low to Graeme Swann at second slip.

Broad might have dismissed all the trio of Tendulkar, Dravid and Venkatsai Laxman -- who have 99 Test hundreds between them -- but for dropped catches.

Laxman was on nought when England captain Andrew Strauss put down a sitter at first slip and the same over saw Swann, diving to his right, fail to hold a much more difficult catch with Dravid then on 42.

Dravid went on to complete a 98-ball fifty featuring 10 fours.

But Laxman, fortunately for England, fell for 10 when he timed a flick off Tremlett so well that the ball flew straight to Jonathan Trott at long leg.

And 182 for four became 183 for five when Suresh Raina was lbw for nought to off-spinner Graeme Swann.

Indian objections mean there are no reviews of lbw decisions this series but even a replay might not have saved Raina.

Kevin Pietersen's superb 202 not out was the cornerstone of England's total after they lost the toss, with India medium-pacer Praveen Kumar taking a Test-best five for 106.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011