Cricket: India take first test

India have taken a 1-0 lead in the four match series against England after a convincing nine-wicket win in Ahmedabad.

England begun the final day needing to bat for a draw and would have had some confidence with Alistair Cook and Matt Prior both established at the crease.

However Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha put the home side in command by dismissing first Prior (91) and then Cook (176) within four overs of each other.

The duo put on 157 for the sixth wicket before England lost their final four wickets for 50 runs, bowled out for 406 just before lunch.

Ojha finished with 4-120 and just one wicket shy of a 10-wicket match haul after picking up a five-wicket bag in England's first innings.

India needed 77 runs for victory and reached it with just the loss of Virender Sehwag for a 21-ball 25 before Graeme Swann had him caught on the boundary by Kevin Pietersen.

With the only Indian wicket in their second innings coming to spin it meant the English quicks picked up just a solitary wicket between them in the match from 72 overs.

Cheteshwar Pujara (41) and Virat Kohli (14) ensured India reached the total with nine wickets in hand.

The second test begins in Mumbai on November 23.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the unacceptable conditions the Indian cricket board is trying to impose on photo agencies we will not be running photos from the current India-England cricket series.

- nzherald.co.nz