Cricket: Draw backers worried as wickets fall.

Byline: By Dan Childs

DRAW backers were a few steps closer to disaster last night after another eventful day's cricket at Lord's in the first Test between England and India.

Earlier in the match, more than pounds 50,000 had been traded on the stalemate on Betfair at just 1.16 but, following two days of supremacy for the bowlers, a result is looking likely.

England began day three with hopes of preserving as much of their 153-run lead as possible and, thanks to an exhibition of top-class seam bowling from Ryan Sidebottom and Jimmy Anderson, they were able to take the final six Indian wickets for just 56 runs.

Three wickets apiece for the England pair restricted the Indian first-innings total to just 201.

Michael Vaughan's side successfully negotiated a tricky two-over spell prior to lunch and, after Alistair Cook and Andrew Strauss had steered them to 40-0, their match odds had shrunk to just 1.56 on Betfair having been as high as 9.2.

However, just when it seemed that the batsmen were getting to grips with conditions, Zaheer Khan got his team back in the game by claiming the wickets of Strauss (18) and Cook (17) in consecutive overs.

Facing a buoyant Indian bowling attack under darkening skies, Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan were focused almost exclusively on survival and they managed to hang on until the rain resumed just before tea.

The delay may have come as a relief to Vaughan and Pietersen but, while Lord's spectators where searching for a shaft of light among the gloom, draw backers were beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.

The players returned to the middle at 6.55pm but by this stage, Betfair's odds on the draw had shortened to 2.1.

Andrew Flintoff makes his return to action for Lancashire's second 11 at Blackpool on Tuesday.

Betfair - First Test - 7pm last night (to lay): 2.16 England (2.26), 9.4 India (10), 2.1 draw (2.18).

CAPTION(S):

Ryan Sidebottom starred with the ball for England