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Cliffhanger ends in stalemate

For four days, the most foolhardy of punters refused to bet on the final outcome, for two reasons: one, no one could be quite sure what that outcome would be and two, the interest in women's cricket in England is apparently not of a sufficiently high level to draw out the punters.

Anyways. The Indian women went through the first Test against England, at Shenley, in a manner calculated to let the fans know that when it came to creating drama and excitement out of nowhere, they were no less adept than their male counterparts.

On day two, thus, the last wicket pair battled to stave off a follow on. A day later, it was the Indian spinners who had their opponents reeling.

The final day's play began with England on 87 for seven, ahead by 215 runs and with skipper Karen Smithies at the crease in the company of the tail. Smithies went on to record her second half century of the game, while stretching that lead further.

India, in the field, muffed up by keeping Purnima Rau, who had bowled brilliantly the previous day to take four of the seven England second innings wickets and have England on the ropes, off the attack for a long while, relying on seamers instead. That argued poor thinking by the Indian captain, but once Rau returned to the attack, her first delivery -- a ball that bounced and turned inordinately -- saw Anju Jain pull off a clinical stumping to send back Smithies.

Collyer and Redfern for England managed to get the odd single going, lifting the score along to 123 for nine before third spinner Deepa Kulkarni took over the bowling and with her first delivery of the day, took out Collyer's stumps.

England promptly declared, on 123/9, giving themselves a lead of 252 and setting India the job of scoring 252 in a maximum of 82 overs.

Anju Jain and skipper Chander Aheer, opening India's second innings, batted as though they didn't need half as many overs to get to the target. Jain in particular was in fluent form, driving crisply on both sides of the wicket and, when line and length offered, hitting over the top in a manner more visible in the one day game.

Aheer, while not as flamboyant, was equally ruthless, and by the end of the 36th over, both openers had got their half centuries and the conclusion seemed forgone -- when disaster struck in the form of a superb throw from mid off by Kathryn Leng, to catch Aheer out of her ground.

Jain then tried to go over the top once too often, and ended up giving a steepling catch -- and suddenly, the game swung right back on its axis. Chopra, despite two let offs, seemed ill at ease and left soon after Jain, Kala batted well enough to raise hopes of a revival but was stumped, two more Indian players were caught out of their ground by English fielding that, scenting victory, tightened its act considerably and the Indians downed shutters, preferring to play out the tense final overs to finish on a draw, with the score on 223 for eight -- this, after getting to 132 without loss.

For England, Sarah Collyer's right arm seam up stuff, and Clare Connor's left-arm spin, made the difference after Smithies, who had taken 4 Indian first innings wickets, was hit about to the tune of 26 in her first four overs. Collyer in particular was astonishingly accurate, her 23 overs returning a yield of one for 36.

The England women's team is yet to record a win in 20 Tests. India, meanwhile, indicated that it is, as yet, a side too nervous of victory, and therefore apt to stuff up just when the going looked good.