Rahul Dravid ensured India avoided the follow-on in the first Test against dominant England at Lord's Saturday with an unbeaten 103 after Sachin Tendulkar had again fallen cheaply at world cricket's headquarters. No other Indian batsman exceeded 50 as Dravid, alternating careful defense with wristy elegance, took India to 286 all out with his 33rd Test century and his first at Lord's. England, which made 474 for eight declared in its first innings, was five without loss at the close of the third day, an overall lead of 193. Tendulkar, one century short of a record 100 international hundreds, was the center of attention with a packed crowd willing him to succeed in the 2,000th Test and the 100th between the two countries. The little Indian maestro loooked in excellent touch with six sweetly timed boundaries but in the end he could not even improve on his previous Lord's best of 37. After reaching 34 in a third-wicket partnership of 81 with Dravid, Tendulkar played a tentative prod at a revitalized Stuart Broad and was caught in the slips. Broad, who retained his place in the final XI ahead of Tim Bresnan after an unsuccessful series against Sri Lanka, bowled with pace and skill but little luck to finish with four for 37 from 22 overs. He bowled left-handed openers Gautam Gambhir (15) and Ahbinav Mukund (49) after an opening partnership of 63 in the morning session and captured the wicket of Tendulkar with the fourth ball of his first over after lunch. Andrew Strauss then grassed the simplest of chances at first slip before VVS Laxman had scored while Graeme Swann dropped a harder chance off Dravid at second slip, diving to his right in the same over.
