The Hindu : Sport : India keeps series hopes alive on a rainy day

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Monday, Sep 03, 2007
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Sport

India keeps series hopes alive on a rainy day

S. Dinakar

Ganguly celebrates his 300th ODI in style; Collingwood plays a valiant knock

— PHOTO: AP

GIVING THE TREATMENT: It was a characteristic innings from Yuvraj Singh, who carted the England bowlers to all parts of the ground.

Leeds: Under fading light on a day of clouds, rain and interruptions, the Indians lighted a candle of hope here on Sunday.

India’s 38-run victory, after the Duckworth and Lewis method was employed, at Headingley means Rahul Dravid’s men will travel to The Oval with the belief that they could draw level in the sixth NatWest ODI and then take the series to the decider at Lord’s.

As for now, England, which was 242 for eight in 39 overs, chasing a revised target of 311 in 45 overs, when the players came off the field for the last time, still leads the series 3-2. Paul Collingwood was on 91 not out when the contest concluded. The captain courageous is growing in stature.

The host pursued a stiff 325 for a victory and then the target was revised after a rain break soon after England had lost its fourth wicket before the 17th over.

Dhoni’s distinction

For India, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was inspirational behind the stumps, equalling the record for the maximum dismissals — six — in an ODI innings by a ’keeper. He was swift, sharp and safe on Sunday.

England, deceived by the overcast conditions, opted to field. The host picked a specialist swing bowler in Jon Lewis, but there was little for the home pacemen in terms of movement in the air.

On a flat track and a quick outfield, the Indian batsmen prospered. The England attack — without the bounce and air speed of the injured Andrew Flintoff — struggled.

Sachin Tendulkar blazed a 59-ball 71, Yuvraj Singh, earning a promotion to No. 4, pounded a 57-ball 72, and India finished at a strong 324 for six. There were contributions all around.

Solid platform

The opening combination of Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly laid a solid platform of 116. Gautam Gambhir, earning a surprising recall to the eleven after the think-tank reverted to the four-bowler theory, made a fluent 51 at No. 3. Dravid and Dhoni delivered the big blows in the end.

England, perhaps had the worst of the conditions. The umpires kept the play on for a few overs under a drizzle and then there was a sharp spell of rain. Covers were brought on, but the pitch, by then, might have absorbed some water.

There was definite seam movement for Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar with the new ball in the afternoon. Agarkar provided the initial breakthrough, having Alastair Cook well taken by Dhoni.

Then, Mathew Prior (46, 45b, 4x4) and Ian Bell (44, 38b, 8x4) cut loose, adding 90 in just 10.4 overs.

Crafty spell

Man of the Match Ganguly, in his 300th ODI, followed his 59, with a crafty spell of medium pace. He was supported by an inspired Dhoni behind the stumps.

Dhoni whipped off the bails in a flash when Prior stepped out to Ganguly and found the delivery moving away. When Zaheer seamed one across the out-of-touch heavyweight, Kevin Pietersen, Dhoni dived sideways to snaffle the snick. Bell tried to guide Ganguly and Dhoni, standing up, pouched a difficult catch.

Save Dhoni’s heroics and the Indian catching disappointed — Tendulkar and Ganguly dropped early catches in the slips and then Agarkar put down a sitter in the deep — but there was a marginal improvement in ground fielding.

Earlier, Tendulkar batted with the freedom of mind rarely seen from the maestro in recent years. The inclusion of Lewis, preferred to Chris Tremlett, meant England had to alter its successful new ball combination of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Lewisreplaced Broad as Anderson’s partner.

The move did take away the element of pace and vibrancy from the opening attack. And Broad struggled as one change.

Tendulkar was eventually dismissed for a rip-roaring 71 (59b, 13x4), attempting to punch Lewis, returning for another spell.

The left-handed Gambhir, finally, revealed a more compact, tighter game, even if was dropped on 19 by Pietersen at short cover.

Yuvaraj was extremely fortunate to have survived a caught behind shout off Monty Panesar on 10 — television replays showed he had edged the ball — and built on the element of luck with powerful strokes on either side off the wicket.

The last ten overs produced a whopping 95 runs for India.

SCOREBOARD

India: S. Ganguly c Cook b Panesar 59; S. Tendulkar c Prior b Lewis 71; G. Gambhir c (sub) b Broad 51; Yuvraj c Anderson b Collingwood 72; M.S. Dhoni c Prior b Anderson 24; R. Dravid (run out) 24; D. Karthik (not out) 2; Zaheer (not out) 4; Extras (b-2, lb-3, w-12) 17; Total (for six wkts. in 50 overs): 324.

Fall of wickets: 1-116 (Tendulkar), 2-150 (Ganguly), 3-244 (Gambhir), 4-266 (Yuvraj), 5-311 (Dhoni), 6-318 (Dravid).

England bowling: Anderson 10-1-60-1; Lewis 10-1-63-1; Broad 10-0-84-1; Collingwood 10-1-48-1; Panesar 8-0-50-1; Bopara 1.1-0-7-0; Pietersen 0.5-0-7-0.

England: A. Cook c Dhoni b Agarkar 4, M. Prior st. Dhoni b Ganguly 46, I. Bell c Dhoni b Ganguly 44, K. Pietersen c Dhoni b Zaheer 0, P. Collingwood (not out) 91, O. Shah c Dhoni b Powar 15, R. Bopara c & b Powar 11, S. Broad c Karthik b Chawla 1, J. Lewis c Dhoni b Agarkar 17, J. Anderson (not out) 1; Extras (b-1, lb-2, w-3, nb-6): 12; Total (for eight wkts. in 39 overs): 242.

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Cook), 2-97 (Prior), 3-102 (Pietersen), 4-104 (Bell), 5-145 (Shah), 6-193 (Bopara), 7-196 (Broad), 8-240 (Lewis).

India bowling: Zaheer 8-0-44-1, Agarkar 7-0-58-2, Ganguly 7-0-26-2, Chawla 5-0-31-1, Tendulkar 5-0-35-0, Powar 7-0-45-2.

(India won by Duckworth-Lewis method)

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