The Hindu : Sport : India wraps up series comfortably

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 07, 2006

Sport

Sport

India wraps up series comfortably

Vijay Lokapally

PHOTO: MAHESH HARILAL

THAT WINNING FEELING: Irfan Pathan snaps the moment, while the rest of the team exults as India clinches the ODI series.

KOCHI: The star of the show was the audience, enduring unfavourable conditions to support their heroes. But the fare was mostly insipid at the cauldron that was the Nehru Stadium even as the TVS Cup series fell into India's lap.

The fans deserved better than this rather ordinary contest that exposed the limitations of the Englishmen and reconfirmed India's growing status as a young team to reckon with in this brand of cricket.

The back-to-back `man of the match' honour for Yuvraj Singh reiterated that fact.

The four-wicket victory brought an enviable distinction to Rahul Dravid's team as India won its 15th consecutive chase.

The record belonged to Clive Lloyd's glorious West Indian side that set the benchmark for dominance by winning 14 matches in a row between 1984 and 1986.

Aggressive Dravid

Once again, England's spineless approach robbed the match of any competitive flavour. India, led by an innovative and aggressive Dravid, sealed the seven-match series 4-0 with three more encounters to be played.

Drained by the cruel heat, the players ran short of energy to raise the quality of a contest that was condemned from the moment England, electing to bat, lost Andrew Strauss in the third over of the day.

Kevin Pietersen returned to take his place in the team but failed to translate his strokeful venture into a match-winning one, again perishing to the slog-sweep. Liam Plunkett, Owais Shah and Sajid Mahmood made way for Pietersen, Gareth Batty and Matthew Hoggard but the desperate measures made little difference.

Batting riches

India's batting riches made a mockery of the target.

Virender Sehwag fell to an unwise pull but Dravid's sensible approach gave England little chance and the in-form Irfan Pathan (46 off 56 balls, six 4s, one 6) consolidated with a mature innings that justified his continued elevation in the batting order.

Dravid (65 off 73 balls, nine 4s) was a picture of poise and concentration as he inspired his partner in crafting a match-winning partnership.

A minor collapse halted the march when Pathan and Mohammad Kaif, in miserable touch, fell in succession.

England may have backed itself at this stage but it ran into the regal Yuvraj and a confident Suresh Raina, easily the most reliable pair in the Indian camp.

Yuvraj, in sensational form with the bat and the ball, dominated the English attack with effortless ease and Raina adapted by curbing his shots and playing second fiddle.

They departed with India 14 runs short of the target. A minor scare again but England had M.S. Dhoni to contend with.

Cumulative effort

India's was a cumulative effort with batsmen complimenting the bowlers' contribution. A disciplined line saw the Indian attack stifle the English. Once Strauss and Mathew Prior succumbed cheaply, it was a battle between Pietersen and the opposition.

It was not only intense but also the most entertaining phase of the day even if India was at the receiving end.

Pietersen (77 off 82 balls, six 4s, two 6s) displayed no discomfort as he plundered runs with authority. He was majestic when giving the charge to the bowlers without exception.

He clouted a midwicket six off Sehwag after gaining a top-edged six off Sreesanth behind the wicket-keeper.

His dismissal, however, took the sting out of the English resolve.

Crucial breakthrough

Collingwood's was a crucial breakthrough, Yuvraj pulling off a stunning return catch.

Then followed Pietersen's departure off a trap by Harbhajan, who bowled brilliantly.

Ramesh Powar continuesd to improve and impress and his dismissal of Vikram Solanki was the moment of the match, as he curled the ball past the defensive bat to clip the bails. It was indeed the ball of the match.

Collingwood and Peitersen's dismissals changed the character of the contest at a stage when England was threatening to reach the 300-mark. A brave effort by Geraint Jones gave the

English innings a thrust but it came at a price. Jones (49 off 66 balls with three fours) suffered a muscle pull and took no further part in the match, leaving the wicket-keeping job to Prior.

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