Tendulkar short of Lara mark as India draw Test

Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed 14 runs short of equalling Brian Lara's world runs record as India clung on for a draw in the first Test against Australia on Monday.

Tendulkar (49) and Vangipurappu Laxman (42no) had added a dogged 61 for the fourth wicket before bad light halted play with the hosts on 177 for four after Australia had declared their second innings on 228 for six to set an unlikely victory target of 299.

Tendulkar's resistance lasted a shade under three hours before he was caught driving into the covers with his career total of runs on 11,939, just short of the mark set by West Indian Lara.

The second Test in the four-match series starts in Mohali on Friday.

Australia gained the early initiative with two quick wickets after they declared having added 35 runs to their overnight score for the loss of Shane Watson for 41.

Medium pacer Stuart Clark dismissed Virender Sehwag for six and his new ball partner Brett Lee had Rahul Dravid caught for five to reduce the hosts to 24 for two in the ninth over.

But Tendulkar shared in two fifty-run partnerships to rescue India from a collapse on a difficult pitch.

Clark had Sehwag caught at lone slip by Mathew Hayden in the sixth over while Dravid, who scored a dogged fifty in the first innings, fell flicking uppishly at Lee for skipper Ricky Ponting to take a magnificent diving catch at mid-wicket.

Tendulkar, 35, put on 53 for the third wicket with opener Gautam Gambhir (29) before the stand with Laxman.

Gambhir, who survived a confident lbw appeal off Clark early, batted dourly before left-arm seamer Mitchell Johnson bowled him.

Every run Tendulkar scored was accompanied by loud cheers from a packed stadium as he closed on Lara's mark before becoming debutant Cameron White's first test victim.

Tendulkar drove uppishly at the leg-spinner for Michael Clarke in the covers to take the catch in the 53rd over.

Australia clearly missed an experienced spinner to exploit the turning track, and had to rely on part-time spinner Clarke, who bowled 20 overs.

Laxman continued confidently with Saurav Ganguly (26no), the pair adding 39 for the fifth wicket when play was called off.