England salvage draw from last Test

(GETTY IMAGES)

England successfully battled to salvage a draw from today's final Test against India but still slipped to their fifth defeat in the last eight Test series.

Set an unlikely victory target of 403 in a minimum of 43 overs during a weather-hit final day at the PCA Stadium, the two sides shook hands on the draw with 15 overs remaining after England reached 64 for one.

It provided a moral victory for the tourists, who successfully denied India the 2-0 series triumph.

But they still return home with their second straight series defeat and their second in a row against India.

Opener Alastair Cook was the only casualty of England's innings, who edged seamer Ishant Sharma to VVS Laxman at second slip for 10, but Andrew Strauss finished unbeaten on 21 while Ian Bell scored useful runs and progressed to 24.

India had earlier resumed the final morning 285 runs ahead on 134 for four and captain MS Dhoni finally called a halt to the innings when opener Gautam Gambhir fell three runs short of claiming his second century in the match.

Gambhir fell in the 10th over after lunch, clipping off-spinner Graeme Swann to backward point, before Dhoni signalled the declaration on 251 for seven.

India knew their only hope of forcing victory and securing a 2-0 series triumph was to score quick runs to give themselves time to bowl England out on the final afternoon.

That plan was undermined from the start with an hour and a half wiped off the day's play by early morning fog, although Yuvraj Singh attempted to make up for lost time with another exhibition of attacking strokeplay.

Yuvraj, who famously hit six sixes in an over against Stuart Broad during last year's Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, resumed unbeaten on 39 then quickly made his intentions clear by accelerating past opener Gambhir to reach his half-century in just 57 balls.

But after reaching that landmark Yuvraj really let loose, flicking James Anderson from outside off-stump over mid-wicket for his first six of the day and he followed that by hitting successive sixes off Broad.

Gambhir, unbeaten on 44 overnight after 50 overs at the crease, also broke out of his defensive shell after bringing up his half-century, advancing down the wicket to hit Anderson over extra cover for four.

He also clipped Broad for a boundary through mid-wicket to finish unbeaten on 80 at lunch while Yuvraj had progressed to 79 off 80 balls as India added 82 in 13 overs before the first break.

Their 153-run partnership was ended five overs after lunch when left-arm spinner Monty Panesar was called into the attack and he caused the breakthrough with his fifth ball.

Yuvraj had progressed to 86 off 93 balls, which included six fours and four sixes, when he pushed to square leg and set off for a single only to be sent back when Ian Bell produced a diving stop and his direct throw at the stumps ended his innings.

India captain Dhoni fell in Panesar's next over, offering a simple return catch, and the innings finally came to an end when Gambhir gave a diving catch to Bell at point after over six hours at the crease.

England began cautiously, knowing an early loss of wickets could intensify India's pursuit of an unlikely victory, but despite the early loss of Cook they secured a draw in late afternoon.