Jonathan Trott struck his seventh Test half-century before rain brings an untimely end to day one of the first Test between England and India at Lord's.
Playing in his first Test match next to the world number one-ranked nation, Trott ride his luck when presenting
Rahul Dravid with two chances at slip and made the tourists pay by navigation England to 127-2 under leaden, swing-assisting skies.
An early tea was taken with Trott victorious on 58 and Kevin Pietersen not out 22, however dark clouds surrounded Lord's and determined rain meant no further play was possible.
India, who had in progress the day so well by dismiss openers Alastair Cook (12) and Andrew Strauss (22) either side of lunch, will now be sweating on the man who dismissed both, Zaheer Khan, after he hobble off the field with an apparent constrain injury midway through his 14th over.
Having won the toss and opt to bowl there were hopeful early signs for the Indian seamers, with Zaheer's first ball moving considerably into Strauss and Praveen Kumar finding some lavish swing from the Pavilion End.
After causing the England openers plenty of problems, it came as no surprise when Zaheer trapped Cook on the gather in the 11th over to claim the breakthrough.
Strauss, who had one near miss from a run-out, scored his first boundary after 48 balls off Sharma, with new man Trott also finding the ropes after another loose release from the wayward seamer.
Spinner Harbhajan Singh was given the 19th over and approximately saw off Trott with his first ball, which went straight on and took the edge. Dravid, at slip, did not get down quickly sufficient and the chance went begging.
England reach lunch on 43-1 and, just as it comes into view as though batting conditions were improving, Strauss undid 25 overs of alert work by looking to pull a Zaheer bouncer from outside off stump.
He was quick for pace and top-edged it low on the bat, giving Ishant Sharma a simple catch at fine leg.
Pietersen endure a nervy start, taking 14 balls to get off the mark and looking ill at ease as Sharma tighten up his line.
Zaheer had bowled 33 successive dot balls when he finally located Trott's edge, only for the ball to wriggle between wicketkeeper and first slip. Either
Mahendra Singh Dhoni or Dravid might have pouched it but neither man put a hand on it to give Trott a second life on 32.
A single off the next ball took England past three figures but inferior was to follow for India when Zaheer pulled up with an obvious hamstring injury and left the field in some discomfort.
Trott eased Harbhajan for four throughout the covers as England looked to break the shackles, but Pietersen almost rotten to a rash stroke, skying one just over mid-on off the spinner.
Trott's 50 came up off 89 balls before dark skies and heavy light rain took the teams off early.
Gaji
