CRICKET/First Test England v West Indies:England had to settle for a draw against West Indies as bad weather wiped out all but 20 overs of the final day of the first Test at Lord's.
The tourists, set an improbable 401 to win, had time to register the best opening stand of a run-laden match, with Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga posting 89 without loss.
Forecast drizzle moved in by 11.30am and quickly ended any fanciful notion the tourists had of a successful chase.
Although the teams were able to return for 45 minutes in the afternoon, by the time bad light precluded any further play, after 4.15pm, England's hopes of taking the 10 wickets they needed were already fading fast.
The teams must therefore head for the start of the second Test at Headingley on Friday all square in this four-match series.
West Indies can be encouraged after staying alive in a contest which contained five England centuries but none from any of the visiting batsmen.
The hosts must plan with injury worries about Michael Vaughan (finger), Matthew Hoggard (thigh strain) and Andrew Flintoff (sore ankle).
England 553 for five dec (A Cook 105, P Collingwood 111, I Bell 109 not out, M Prior 126 not out) and 284 for 8 dec (A Cook 65, K Pietersen 109 not out)
West Indies 437 (S Chanderpaul 74, D Bravo 56, D Ramdin 60; M Panesar 6-129)
West Indies second innings
(overnight 7-0)
C Gayle not out 47
S Ganga not out 31
Extras (b-4 lb-3 w-3 nb-1)11
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Total (no wkts, 22 overs) ... 89
Bowling: Harmison 8-1-21-0 (2w 1nb), Plunkett 11-1-48-0 (1w), Panesar 3-0-13-0.
Result: Match drawn
