BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | England draw first blood

1st Test, Lord's, day five: England 487 & 301-6 beat India 221 & 397 by 170 runs

Ajit Agarkar's enterprising unbeaten century was not enough to prevent India from sliding to a 170-run defeat in the first Test against England at Lord's.

Craig White finally broke India's resistance when Ashish Nehra edged to Graham Thorpe at second slip, but England were made to work for their win.

Agarkar defied England's bowlers for nearly four hours making 109 not out with 16 fours, and putting on 126 with VVS Laxman for India's seventh wicket.

Sports Talk: Will England win series now?

Ajit Agarkar
Agarkar scored his first Test ton

Simon Jones finally broke the stubborn partnership when he took the second new ball and had Laxman caught by Michael Vaughan at gully.

Laxman batted with style and authority making 74 off 120 balls, including nine sublime boundaries.

Agarkar put India's top order batsmen to shame, passing his previous best of 41, in an innings that made a mockery of his previous Test average of 7.81.

Anil Kumble announced his intentions with three crisp boundaries, but gave Hoggard his fourth wicket of the innings by offering a return catch from a leading edge, trying to turn a straight ball around the corner.

Day five action as it happened

Zaheer Khan did not last long before edging White behind to wicketkeeper Alec Stewart just before lunch.

Ashish Nehra also reached his best Test score of 19, seeing Agarkar to three figures and putting on 63 for India's 10th wicket, before White struck.

The last day of the match was a personal triumph for Agarkar, who was controversially picked ahead of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and did not bowl with much penetration.

But it was a greater victory for England, who started the Test without the injured Marcus Trescothick, Darren Gough, Andrew Caddick and Alex Tudor.