Despite off-spinner Nooshing Al-Khader's three-wicket haul India had to settle for a draw against England in the one-off women's Test in Delhi on Thursday.
Set a victory target of 311 on Wednesday, the visitors, without their strike bowler Katherine Brunt who could not bat in the first innings as well, survived the entire day, scoring 210 for six in their second innings.
Captain Charlotte Edwards showed the way with a 46-run knock, and Arrand Brindle (46) followed suit. Jenny Gun (32) occupied the crease for almost two-and-half hours to frustrate the Indians.
Resuming their innings on three for no loss, Edwards and the other opener, Laura Newton (16), treaded cautiously till Al-Khader dealt back-to-back blows. The off-spinner first removed Laura and then claimed Claire Taylor's (3) wicket to leave England at 62 for two.
Another 11 runs and England lost their captain when first innings' wrecker-in-chief Jhulan Goswami trapped her plumb in front.
But, thereafter, it was a dour show by the English eves and though Indian captain Mithali Raj used eight bowlers, including herself, it had little impact.
Later, an elated English captain hailed her team for the brilliant fightback.''Losing Katherine was quite upsetting but we're pretty resilient and when things didn't go our way, we step up gear,'' she said.
''We were pretty much down after day two so it's nice to fight back,'' she added.
Scorecard
India (1st innings): 289
England (1st innings): 154
India (2nd innings): 175 for four declared
England (2nd innings): (Overnight three for no loss):
Charlotte Edwards lbw b Jhulan Goswami 46
Laura Newton c Anjum Chopra b Nooshin Al-Khader 16
Claire Taylor c Mithali Raj b Nooshin Al-Khder 3
Jenny Gun b Neetu David 32
Arran Brindle run out 46
Lydia Greenway c Mithali Raj b Nooshin Al-Khader 6
Rosalie Birch not out 20
Laura Harper not out 21.
Extras: (B-6, LB-14) 20
Total: (For six wickets in 113 overs) 210
Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-62, 3-73, 4-146, 5-162, 6-162.
Bowling: Jhulan Goswami 22-7-46-1, Amita Sharma 5-3-9-0, Rumeli Dhar 12-4-18-0, Nooshin Al Khader 32-15-30-3, Shravanti Naidu 8-2-32-0, Neetu David 31-18-46-1, Mithali Raj 1-0-5-0, Asha Rawat 2-1-4-0.
