Cricket Test match, first day:Andrew Strauss narrowly failed to score his first Test century in almost a year yesterday, on the first day of the First Test against India at Lord's where England reached 268 for four at the close.

After three late stoppages for bad light, play ended almost an hour after the scheduled close. England suffered from the interruptions and lost Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood after the second break. They had been 218 for one after tea, having lost Alastair Cook for 36 before lunch.

Strauss made 96 for his highest Test score since his 116 against Pakistan last August and captain Vaughan hit 79. Kevin Pietersen was on 34 with night-watchman Ryan Sidebottom on five.

India are seeking their first series win in England for 21 years, while Vaughan's side are looking to protect an impressive home record in which they have not lost a series on home soil since 2001.

Although Strauss will be disappointed not to have reached his 11th Test century, he may reflect on the reprieve he got when he was dropped on 43.

It was one of the simplest chances he has ever offered when his thick edge off Shanthakumaran Sreesanth squirted to cover point fielder Dinesh Karthik, who managed to spill the straightforward opportunity.

Karthik, converted into an opening batsman from a wicketkeeper, is used to catching with gloves on. Mahendra Singh Dhoni performs those duties in this India team now.

Strauss, who eventually faced 186 balls and scored 16 boundaries, was caught at slip by India skipper Rahul Dravid off the bowling of 36-year-old leg-spinner Anil Kumble after tea when he reached at a wide delivery that did not spin and got a thick edge.

Vaughan, playing in his first Lord's Test since 2005, batted fluently, as he showed with consecutive on-driven fours he struck before tea that perfectly split the mid-on and mid-wicket fielders.

The captain was third man out when he edged left-arm seamer Rudra Pratap Singh. With only three runs added Collingwood was lbw to Kumble, who finished the day with two for 56 from 22 overs. It was Collingwood's first duck in 46 Test innings.

Cook, who scored a century on his Test debut against India last year, was lbw to occasional medium-pacer Saurav Ganguly. Replays suggested the ball moved so much down the famous Lord's slope that it would have missed his off stump.