Sandeep Patel Say's India's Bench Strenth

India's bench strength not tested, says Sandeep Patil

The Hindu Sandeep Patil. Photo: Stan Ryan

The disastrous tour of England has brought the rot, the wrinkles and problems in Indian cricket to the fore.

The spate of injuries which saw the Indian team lose nine players has raised many questions.

Can't we find eleven fit players? What will happen when stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag leave the stage? Don't we have a strong bench? Isn't the BCCI grooming youngsters properly? What's happening at the National Cricket Academy?

But talking to Sandeep Patil, the Director of the NCA, one gets the feeling that the BCCI is not using its bench strength properly.

“We have a terrific bench strength. Unfortunately, players are sitting on the bench. You know, the bench is not tested,” said Patil, one of the heroes of India's 1983 World Cup triumph, at the Tripunithura Palace Oval here on Sunday.

“It's not our job, it's not our responsibility,” he said when asked why the bench strength is not being tried out efficiently. “Our responsibility at the NCA is to help, have camps, support them, look after the injury management. The selection part is done by the selectors and the BCCI. We don't interfere in that department.”

People who are pointing fingers at the NCA are being unfair, he said.

“When India won the World Cup (its second in the one-dayers recently), nobody even thought of the NCA,” said the 55-year-old who was a tower of strength in the middle-order for many years.

“Now, once, when India has done badly, everybody is pointing fingers at it. As the Director, I am very happy with the way the NCA is functioning. We are in touch with the BCCI on a day-to-day basis. We are in touch with all our 35 academies which come under the NCA.

“We have a big pool of players…unfortunately, only 11 represent the country, there are another 30 lined up. When they are given a chance, when they are given their due, it's for the selectors to decide.”

Patil, however, declined to comment on the injury problems in Indian cricket.

“I can't speak …that's confidential… I can't speak about Indian cricket and injuries,” he said.

Today Final OneDay

The final opportunity for Dhoni and his men

M.S. Dhoni

 

If England wins the fifth ODI at Sophia Gardens, India will return home empty-handed

A question was constantly addressed to the International Cricket Council award winners at London on Monday — “The Indian team did not turn up, your remarks?” The replies ranged from the diplomatic “ask-them” to the non-committal “I don't know.”

And then a British television scribe lightened the mood when he asked cricketer-of-the-year Jonathan Trott: “The Indian team has not turned up this entire summer and why do you think that happened?”

The query highlighted the World Cup winner's inability to live up to its mighty reputation throughout the tour, which has been blighted by defeats and lack of spirit.

“The Indian team is a very good team and don't get me wrong on that,” replied Trott. However, that was no consolation for the followers of the squad, who watched the halo of M.S. Dhoni's men slowly dissipate in England.

The fifth and final match of the NatWest series at the Sophia Gardens here on Friday offers the last chance for India to reveal intent and true worth despite all its woes, ranging from missing key players to coping with the weather's damp ways.

Dhoni and company have had their spells of unwinding over the last few days — from go-karting to shopping — as the time under the hardly visible English sun draws to a close. Getting away from their cricketing routines after struggling with losses is, perhaps, one way to switch off and start afresh.

Having lost the Tests and the lone Twenty20 and now hopelessly trailing 0-2 in the One-Day series, it may seem to be a picture of gloom and doom but the weather gods have played their part in scuppering two matches with the games at Chester-le-Street and Lord's getting affected.

Openers Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane and the duo of Dhoni and Suresh Raina have proved that the England bowlers can be reined in with an aggressive medley of shots and sharp singles.

Among the bowlers, R. Ashwin has held his nerve in recent games and if the seamers can tighten up their initial spells, India would be well served.

Ravindra Jadeja's presence has reduced Dhoni's reliance on Raina and Virat Kohli to fulfil the fifth bowler's quota, but, as the skipper has constantly repeated, the team has to perform well in all three departments. It is a cliché, yet so true.

Lesson for youngsters

On Thursday, the team preferred optional practice, but out in the middle one man knocked hard with his bat.

Rahul Dravid may be playing his last ODI but there is no way he is going to ease his feet from pre-match training. His intensity and the way he moulded himself in accordance with the demands of one-day cricket is a lesson for all the youngsters in the squad. “I hope he goes out on a high, scoring a hundred and India winning the game. He has been one of my childhood heroes,” said Ashwin.

The England squad, meanwhile, was all about booming shots and loud laughter during its training schedule in the morning. “Winning breeds happiness,” said Alastair Cook. Despite pocketing the series, the England captain is aware that his squad has been tested by India's new players and has also struggled when Dhoni and Raina were on song during the slog.

The team, however, deserves credit for staying alive in the chase with men like Ravi Bopara and the tail being positive.

Broad will be missed

Stuart Broad will be missed but England has found key men at the crucial moments so far. India, on the other hand, remains desperate to take along at least one victory before boarding the return flight.

As for the weather, rain has been forecast around 4 p.m. local time but with the game being a day-night contest, the match should last the distance.

The teams (from):

India: M.S. Dhoni (capt.), Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Parthiv Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Vinay Kumar, R.P. Singh, Varun Aaron, Amit Mishra, R. Ashwin, Manoj Tiwary and S. Badrinath.

England: Alastair Cook (capt.), Craig Kieswetter, Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, Ben Stokes, Ravi Bopara, James Anderson, Tim Bresnan, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Graeme Swann and Samit Patel.

Umpires: Billy Doctrove and Nigel Llong; Third umpire: Marais Erasmus; Match referee: Jeff Crowe.

Match starts at 6.30 p.m. IST.

Indian's Bowling Performence In England Tour

First 10 overs proving costly

  

AFP GENTLEMAN'S GAME? Munaf Patel, who seems to be losing his composure of late, was involved in a verbal duel with Ravi Bopara in the fourth ODI against England at Lord's.

 

The Indian seamers have not stemmed the flow of runs

The cold and clammy fingers of pressure have not yet choked England in the chase during the current NatWest Series. Alastair Cook's men have stayed abreast of targets, be it original or revised, and that will be a worry for M.S. Dhoni when the Indian team heads to Cardiff for the final match scheduled on Friday.

Except at the Oval where a top-order collapse weakened the score, India has found the runs, but its bowlers have fired sporadically with the rain and resultant wet outfield negating their control over the ball. The seamers have not stemmed the flow of runs in the first 10 overs and England has grabbed the initiative.

Cook and Craig Kieswetter failed in the opening match at Chester-le-Street and at Lord's on Sunday but overall, the host enjoyed the upper hand. At the Rose Bowl, England scored 56 for no loss in 10 overs; at the Oval it was 63 for one and even at Lord's, the score was 50 for two. These numbers meant that India's scores of 187 (23 overs), 234 and 280 seemed within reach as long as England had wickets in hand.

Missing Zaheer

Dhoni, who is missing Zaheer Khan's potency and Yuvraj Singh's variety in his ranks, said that the leakage of runs in the first 10 overs, undid the team. “We have given runs in the first few overs in the past but then the fast bowlers with a bit of reverse swing were able to get back. Over here we are giving too many runs in the first 10 overs and it is becoming difficult. None of our bowlers are real quick and when it doesn't swing and the ball gets wet, it becomes difficult,” Dhoni said.

R. Ashwin is the highest wicket-taker for India in this series with six scalps, averaging 21.00 and coming at an economy rate of 5.25 and he found belated support from Ravindra Jadeja in the last two games. On the other hand, the seamers — Munaf Patel (6.42), Praveen Kumar (5.09), R.P. Singh (6.06) and Vinay Kumar (6.40) — have disappointed with fewer wickets that were allied with inflationary economy rates.

It is little consolation that the England bowlers too have struggled with ODI specialist Jade Dernbach going for 6.83 runs per over but sudden incisive spells like the one that James Anderson bowled at the Oval, has helped Cook.

Munaf's rage

Jadeja may have partially reduced Dhoni's brooding angst over the fifth bowler's slot but the Indian skipper has another lurking headache to contend with. Munaf has been a picture of seething rage over the last week.

Things came to such a pass at Lord's that it took Praveen, who is prone to his own share of outbursts, to step in and advice Munaf. Suresh Raina acted as the guardian when Munaf mouthed profanities while Ravi Bopara walked away. An alert Raina dragged the bowler away from the retreating batsman.

The England bowlers have not been angels either with Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn having a go at Parthiv Patel but that is no excuse for Munaf's indefensible attitude that includes sledging his own team-mates for alleged ‘fielding' errors!

At Lord's he tried to kick the ball away while the throw from the deep homed in and with the Duckworth-Lewis equation determining the final verdict, Munaf's gesture could have proved costly. Luckily his boot missed the ball.

Dhoni needs to have a quiet word with Munaf like those earlier chats with S. Sreesanth.

A seamer frothing with anger is something that the Indian captain does not need at any stage.

Bad ! India as rain forces a tie

England wraps up series as rain forces a tie

AP Suresh Raina struck a breezy 84 to power India to 280 against England in the fourth ODI at Lord’s.

 

 

A nerve-wracking match ended as a tie and India's search for that elusive victory over England continues unabated.

A packed Lord's witnessed a heart-breaking moment for India after its 280 for five stretched England in the fourth game of the NatWest Series before a largely sunny day turned damp and three rain-interruptions tweaked in a stalemate.

England scored 270 for eight in 48.5 overs and that was exactly the par score the Duckworth-Lewis method stipulated.

If England had managed another run or Ravi Bopara had blocked one ball, the match would have been in Alastair Cook's pocket.

High on drama

However, in a contest high on drama, it was fitting that Bopara (96, 111b, 6x4) who played a lone hand in reviving the host, picked a leaping Ravindra Jadeja in the deep while Munaf Patel flung his hands skywards.

The rain immediately arrived again and snuffed out the match when India would have fancied its chances as England needed 11 from the remaining seven balls.

India's latest match at Lord's may not have had the extraordinary depth of June, 1983, when Kapil Dev lifted the World Cup or the rebellious streak of a shirtless Sourav Ganguly in 2002, and yet it will haunt the ‘Men in Blue' for a while. England has now clinched the series after winning the earlier two games and the last game at Cardiff on Friday offers India a last chance to sign off with a victory.

Ebullient partnership

The visitor scored 280 for six in 50 overs and it was a total that was made possible by M.S. Dhoni and Suresh Raina's ebullient partnership. England needed a start but, with Alastair Cook, Craig Kieswetter and Jonathan Trott's early departures to the joy of R.P. Singh and Praveen Kumar, the chase proved tough though Bopara stayed firm.

Bopara and Ian Bell (54) stemmed the rising tide of Indian optimism with a 98-run fourth-wicket partnership. Bell stayed correct and Bopara cheekily opened the bat's face to guide a few behind square and England stayed in the hunt.

Inexplicably Bell charged at Jadeja and Manoj Tiwary, substituting for an injured Parthiv Patel, plucked the catch.

Ben Stokes then patted one back to R. Ashwin and, at 184 for five, England needed its tail to wag.

And wag it did through Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann before the rain forced the teams to play a cat-and-mouse game with the Duckworth-Lewis equation.

In the end, the rivals nursed a result identical to that World Cup game at Bangalore when the score froze at 338.

Openers on song

Earlier, openers on song offered Dhoni an easy morning to savour his tea though Alastair Cook's luck with the toss continued.

Parthiv and Ajinkya Rahane gradually blossomed in their 65-run partnership as initial respect for James Anderson and Steven Finn transformed to disdain.

Patel and Rahane's dismissals in a span of 12 deliveries pegged India back and, against the run of play, Graeme Swann scalped Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid in his first over.

At 110 for four, and with only Ravindra Jadeja to fall back on after them, Raina and Dhoni opted to consolidate while Swann bowled tight.

Raina (84, 75b, 7x4, 2x6) had to contend with three men on the fence for his whiplash pulls and there were three men close on the off-side to cut his dabs.

India's first 100 had come in 131 deliveries but its next 50 came in 92 balls.

The innings gained impetus when Raina thumped Finn twice, either side of the wicket and Dhoni (78 n.o., 71b, 6x4, 3x6) hoisted Swann's tossed up enticer into the stands.

The 169-run fifth-wicket partnership spread over 147 balls acquired an ominous air and promptly India's next fifty came in 37 deliveries and the innings' last ten overs yielded 109 runs.

But a triumph continued to elude the desperate squad.

Scoreboad

India: Parthiv c Bopara b Broad 27 (32b, 3x4, 1x6), A. Rahane lbw b Broad 38 (53b, 5x4, 1x6), R. Dravid c&b Swann 19 (33b, 3x4), V. Kohli c Kieswetter b Swann 16 (36b, 1x4), S. Raina c Stokes b Finn 84 (75b, 7x4, 2x6), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 78 (71b, 6x4, 3x6), R. Jadeja (not out) 0 (0b), Extras (lb-5, w-13) 18; Total (for five wkts. in 50 overs) 280.

Power Plays: One (Overs 1-10): 38/0; Bowling (11-15): 32/1; Batting (43-47): 58/0.

Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Rahane), 2-70 (Parthiv), 3-109 (Kohli), 4-110 (Dravid), 5-279 (Raina).

England bowling: Anderson 10-2-57-0, Finn 9.4-0-54-1, Bresnan 10-1-51-0, Broad 9.2-0-52-2, Bopara 2-0-12-0, Swann 9-1-49-2.

England: A. Cook c Kohli b R.P. Singh 12 (18b, 2x4), C. Kieswetter c Jadeja b R.P. Singh 12 (9b, 1x4), J. Trott b Praveen 23 (27b, 4x4), I. Bell c sub b Jadeja 54 (73b, 3x4), R. Bopara c Jadeja b Munaf 96 (111b, 6x4), B. Stokes c&b Ashwin 7 (11b, 1x4), T. Bresnan b R.P. Singh 27 (22b, 2x4), G. Swann run out 31 (23b, 3x4), S. Finn (not out) 0 (0b), J. Anderson (not out) 0 (0b), Extras (lb-5, w-2, nb-1) 8; Total (for eight wkts. in 48.5 overs) 270.

Power Plays: One (Overs 1–10): 50/2; Bowling (11-15): 20/1; Batting (45– 48.5): 37/2.

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Kieswetter), 2-27 (Cook), 3-61 (Trott), 4-159 (Bell), 5-173 (Stokes), 6-220 (Bresnan), 7-270 (Swann), 8-270 (Bopara).

India bowling: Praveen 9-0-35-1, R.P. Singh 9-0-59-3, Munaf 9.5-0-54-1, Ashwin 10-0-44-1, Jadeja 9-0-60-1, Raina 2-0-13-0.

Players of the Match: Ravi Bopara & Suresh Raina

India,s Loss Again

India's agony continues....

AP England's Graeme Swann smiles after scoring the winning run against India during the third ODI match at the Oval cricket ground, London on Friday

 

 

India’s cup of woes continued to overflow under the damp skies in England. The host defeated M.S. Dhoni’s men by three wickets in the third ODI of the NatWest Series at the Oval here on Friday night.

Chasing India’s 234 for seven, England scored 218 for seven in 41.5 overs after the overall target was reduced to 218 from 43 overs following a rain-interruption. England has now taken an unassailable 2-0 lead with two more matches left in the series.

England’s pursuit commenced on a healthy note with Craig Kieswetter (51, 46b, 3x4, 3x6) and skipper Alastair Cook sharing a 63-run partnership. Kieswetter clouted Praveen Kumar for two sixes and also enjoyed a reprieve when he popped a catch back to a tumbling Munaf Patel, who failed to hold on.

The texture of the contest changed when the spinners struck in tandem after Munaf prised out Cook. Jadeja and Ashwin castled Kieswetter and Trott respectively and with England on 95 for three in 20 overs, India sniffed a chance and at that precise moment the skies opened up.

England better placed

England was however better placed as per the Duckworth-Lewis method that required them to muster a par score of 90 for three in 20 overs. The inclement weather improved for the better and when the match resumed with England needing 123 from 23 overs, India again sensed a chance as Dhoni’s throw caught Ian Bell napping and Ashwin bowled Ben Stokes around his legs.

Ravi Bopara (40) and Tim Bresnan then nudged the score until Jadeja struck again. The left-arm spinner bowled Bresnan through the gate. It all boiled down to 17 from 18 deliveries and Ashwin added another twist to the tale by breaching Bopara’s citadel. India had no more luxuries as Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad sealed the match in England’s favour.

Fatal trigger

Earlier the Indian fans in their blue jerseys had hardly settled down when their favourite team re-visited its batting horrors in the Tests. The fatal trigger was the familiar mix of overcast skies, hint of swing and James Anderson steaming in.

The collapse forced Dhoni (69) to oscillate between attack and the hurried single. The skipper’s effort and Jadeja’s 78 helped India post a score that seemed impossible after the initial pavilion-bound procession once Cook won the toss and opted to field.

Anderson played an active hand in reducing the visitor to 25 for four in 10.2 overs. Ajinkya Rahane nibbled at his third delivery and deprived of the short-pitched stuff to pull and slash, a cramped Parthiv Patel pushed Bresnan to mid-off, tried to steal a single and Rahul Dravid failed to beat Anderson’s throw at the striker’s end. Anderson then cleaned up Parthiv with the fuller length while the opener tried to flick one off his toes.

The misery continued when Virat Kohli wafted at Anderson. Suresh Raina flicked Bresnan and lofted Anderson but a needless swipe against Broad proved costly and India needed a rousing effort and strong partnerships.

Dhoni (69, 103b, 5x4) complied with the requirement. He drove Anderson, punched Jade Dernbach and quickly switched to his tap-and-run routine. The Indian captain nearly inner-edged Ravi Bopara onto his stumps but the ball raced to the fine-leg boundary and it was the sort of luck that he and the team needed besides a strong ally and that he found through southpaw Jadeja (78, 89b, 10x4).

Good comeback

Making a comeback into the Indian team and picked ahead of Manoj Tiwary, Jadeja looked assured and threaded a few through the off-side . Along with his captain, Jadeja raised 112 runs for the sixth-wicket and just as the batting Power Play was sought from the 44th over, Dhoni fell. Jadeja and an enterprising Ashwin then batted with abandon. Dernbach was thumped for 19 runs in an over with the pick being Jadeja’s pick-up stroke and Ashwin’s upper-cut.

Jadeja was dismissed in the last over and later under lights he watched his effort go in vain as England reigned supreme.

The scores.

India: Parthiv Patel b Anderson 3 (19b), A. Rahane c Trott b Anderson 0 (3b), R. Dravid (run out) 2 (11b), V. Kohli c Kieswetter b Anderson 7 (18b), S. Raina c Kieswetter b Broad 21 (36b, 1x4, 1x6), M.S. Dhoni c Cook b Bresnan 69 (103b, 5x4), R. Jadeja c Bell b Dernbach 78 (89b, 10x4), R. Ashwin (not out) 36 (19b, 5x4), Praveen Kumar (not out) 1 (2b). Extras (lb-7, w-10): 17; Total (for seven wkts., in 50 overs): 234.

Power Plays: First (Overs 1 - 10): 25/3; Bowling (11 - 15): 23/1; Batting (44 - 48): 51/1.

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Rahane), 2-9 (Dravid), 3-13 (Parthiv), 4-25 (Kohli), 5-58 (Raina), 6-170 (Dhoni), 7-229 (Jadeja).

England bowling: Anderson 9-1-48-3, Bresnan 10-2-32-1, Dernbach 10-1-53-1, Broad 9-1-47-1, Swann 10-0-31-0, Bopara 2-0-16-0.

England: A. Cook lbw b Munaf 23 (34b, 3x4), C. Kieswetter b Jadeja 51 (46b, 3x4, 3x6), J. Trott b Ashwin 11 (25b), I. Bell (run out) 23 (25b, 2x4), B. Stokes b Ashwin 20 (31b, 1x6), R. Bopara b Ashwin 40 (41b, 4x4), T. Bresnan b Jadeja 28 (38b, 1x4), S. Broad (not out) 5 (6b), G. Swann (not out) 9 (5b, 1x4). Extras (b-2, lb-3, w-3): 8. Total (for seven wkts., in 41.5 overs): 218.

Power Plays: One (Overs 1 – 10): 63/1; Bowling (11 - 15): 16/0; Batting (41 – 41.5): 17/1.

Fall of wickets: 1-63 (Cook), 2-87 (Kieswetter), 3-89 (Trott), 4-131 (Bell), 5-133 (Stokes), 6-193 (Bresnan), 7-208 (Bopara).

India bowling: Praveen 4-0-20-0, R.P. Singh 6-0-32-0, Munaf 8.5-0-63-1, Jadeja 9-0-42-2, Ashwin 9-0-40-3, Raina 5-0-16-0.

Ind Vs Eng 3rd ODI Cricinfo

Demoralised India wait for miracle turnaround

AP Dhoni laid himself bare to media after losing the second one-dayer at Rose Bowl on Tuesday, fretting about the sameness of his fast bowlers and their general lack of pace.

The horror seems far from over as an injury-ravaged Indian cricket team gears up for the third cricket one-dayer against England here tomorrow, still looking for that elusive win which would lift the sagging morale of the battle-weary side.

Trailing 0-1 in the five-match series after being whitewashed 0-4 in the Tests, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men have reasons to feel fatalistic ahead of the day-night encounter.

The visitors are worried on the count of lack of bowling firepower in their ranks and are resigned to the fact England would chase down any total they can rustle up in remaining one-dayers.

Dhoni laid himself bare to media after losing the second one-dayer at Rose Bowl on Tuesday, fretting about the sameness of his fast bowlers and their general lack of pace.

“If it doesn’t swing, we struggle. Most of our bowlers are in the 120-130 kmph range and it becomes very difficult,” or words to similar effect was Dhoni’s lament and tomorrow could just make his worst fears come true.

The pitch at the Oval offers bounce but no sideways movement and the gentle pace of Indian seamers could turn out to be fodder for England batsmen.

Dhoni concedes Praveen Kumar is not his best option in death overs and he is forced to keep Munaf Patel a lot towards the end than in the initial overs.

If India can’t strike early, it is a given that the rest of the overs would be savaged by the in-form England batsmen.

A similar thing occurred in the second one-dayer where India ran up a decent total but were powerless to stop England from romping home with seven wickets to spare.

The crushing dominance was evident when England were 100 up on the board with 10 full overs yet to be completed.

As if this was not enough, India is also worried on the count of fifth bowler’s quota - a job Yuvraj Singh used to do with such aplomb in the past.

In the rain-hit second match, it fell on Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina to do the job but it would be beyond them to remain useful over a stretch of 10 overs.

That makes the inclusion of Ravindra Jadeja a strong possibility. The Gujarat all-rounder is a useful left-arm spinner and can add up a decent package with his notable fielding and batting.

His inclusion would almost surely bring the aspirations of Manoj Tiwary for the rest of the series to a premature end.

Ironically, India’s batting showed little effect of downturn despite losing so many stalwarts up the order.

Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane have been startlingly good up the order. Virat Kohli has shown good intent and Suresh Raina is laying about the bowling with a streak of vengeance.

Thus England could sense a killing in the rest of the matches. The pitches at the remaining three venues are unlikely to help seam and swing.

Indians might be a depleted lot but England would take immense delight in prevailing over the visitors and ending the summer in style.

England wouldn’t take their foot off the pedal for it’s a good practice opportunity for them to iron out their one-day follies.

For one, they are not seen as particularly adventurous in initial overs. The issue was met squarely by England openers in the second one-dayer.

Another issue is their rather timid approach in death overs. The hosts would be keen to sort this out too.

England have largely been an orthodox unit in one-day cricket. They are now bringing in a new set of players who can resort to unorthodox tactics.

Men like Craig Kieswetter and Ben Stokes are being primed for such roles. Their bowling in death overs has received a boost with the arrival of Jade Dernbach.

It being a day-night fixture, both sides would be keen to win the toss and bat first. Luck has been seen as an important ingredient in Dhoni’s extraordinary record as a Test captain.

It hasn’t shown up by his side on this tour so far. For a starter, it could help him by flipping the coin in his favour on Friday.

Teams (from):

England: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Samit Patel, Ben Stokes, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott.

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Manoj Tiwary, Suresh Raina, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, RP Singh, Vinay Kumar, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Parthiv Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Aaron.

The match will start at 5.30 p.m (IST).

Prasanna Say's On Harbhajan,s Bowling

Harbhajan's basics are not strong: Prasanna

FILE PHOTO CONCERNED: Ace off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna is critical of contemporary captains' handling of spinners

The batsmen would reach out for the drive and then find the ball dip. If sharp off-spin did not consume them, the deadly floater would. Erapalli Prasanna was a master of deception.

Attacking by instinct, Prasanna used the width and the depth of the crease, varied his trajectory and controlled the extent of turn. And he played on the ego of the batsman.

Prasanna, now 71, prised out 189 batsmen in 49 Tests at 30.38 but could have scalped a lot more had not the great Indian spinners of the 60s and 70s cut into each other's tally.

The match-winner from the past is concerned at Indian spin spearhead Harbhajan Singh's continuing struggle for form and rhythm.

Prasanna said, “He is delivering from a very chest-on position. Consequently, his length has suffered. He has got his length right only 25 to 30 pert cent of times. If your length is awry, your line is affected as well. The fact that his basics are not strong, he does not pivot or get his body behind his action, is not helping matters either. There is very little follow through.”

Queried about Harbhajan picking up more than 400 Test wickets, Prasanna responded, “Numbers need not reflect the authenticity of performance. For instance, a batsman might have got 5000 Test runs. But 40 per cent of those runs could have come through streaky strokes.”

Putting his finger on the heart of Harbhajan's problems, Prasanna said, “I think he is conscious of his action coming under a cloud when he bowls the doosra; this has affected him psychologically. He has not employed this delivery much in recent times and has become predictable.”

Prasanna was also shocked at the number of no-balls sent down by Amit Mishra. “How can a spinner do this in a Test? What is the support staff doing?,” he fumed.

The off-spin wizard was critical of contemporary captains' handling of spinners. “Tiger Pataudi, with all his intelligence, was different. There is no aggressive skipper like him around now”

When asked about emerging off-spinner R. Ashwin, Prasanna replied, “I do not want to judge him on the basis of one-day and Twenty20 cricket. I want to see him on a good wicket in the longer version of the game.”

Siva's views

Former India leg-spinner L. Sivaramakrishnan, who heads BCCI's specialist academy for spinners, said, “The SG ball reverse swings and the captains prefer the pacemen to bowl with the older ball as well in domestic games. The spinners are, thus, not retained for long spells and only perform a defensive role even when the ball gets older.

“They should bowl to attacking fields and singles should not be conceded easily. For instance, I cannot understand why a spinner should bowl with a deep point. You should not set a field for bad bowling,” he said.

Sivaramakrishnan added, “We need more attacking captains in domestic cricket. A spinner must be encouraged to flight and then we will also get to see the dip and drift. Presently, a spinner tends to be quicker through the air the moment he is attacked. It is here that a captain needs to step in.”

On Harbhajan's travails, Sivaramakrishnan said, “He is missing the pressure created from the other end by Anil Kumble. Now, he has to both build the stress and pick the wickets and is finding it very difficult.

“He needs to make the switch mentally to the role of the spin spearhead. This has not happened so far.” Indeed, the land of spin is grappling with a spin crisis.

India Loss Again By 7 Wickets

Cook, Kieswetter power England to seven-wicket victory

AP England's Alastair Cook plays a reverse sweep in the second ODI against India at the Rose Bowl cricket ground in Southampton on Tuesday.

 

An Indian victory in England continues to be a mirage that teases and torments M.S. Dhoni’s men. England yet again defeated India in a tour that has been devoid of redemption for the `Men in Blue.’

On a wet Tuesday that suddenly turned dry just in time for the second match of the NatWest ODI series, which was reduced to 23 overs per side, England defeated India by seven wickets. Chasing India’s 187 for eight, England scored 188 for three in 22.1 overs with `Man of the Match’ Alastair Cook leading the way with a captain’s knock (80 n.o., 63b, 5x4, 1x6).

The pursuit required a breathless assault atop the order and that is precisely what Craig Kieswetter (46, 25b, 4x4, 3x6) dished out against the combined wares of the Kumars – Praveen and Vinay, R. Ashwin and Munaf Patel. Kieswetter smote Vinay and Ashwin, tucked into Praveen and also watched a thick edge off Munaf, fly over third-man. The abridged first Power Play of five overs went for 56 runs while Cook played second fiddle.

Vinay finally darted one in and ruffled Kieswetter’s pads but that did not stem the run-flow as Ian Bell joined forces with Cook. Bell thumped past the off-side, Cook muscled over mid-wicket against Virat Kohli and Ashwin to help England stay ahead of the race. Kohli dropped a sharp chance in his follow through while Bell lunged and later the fielder made amends when the batsman tried to scoop Ashwin over short-cover.

Ravi Bopara then walked in and another partnership took shape. Cook kept pegging away, Bopara moved inside the line and clouted a few and by the time he succumbed, India was resigned to another dreary night lost in defeat’s shadow.

Earlier the game seemed headed for a washout when the weather gods suddenly relented and the match finally commenced at 7 p.m. local time with Cook opting to field on winning the toss.

The host skipper soon watched Parthiv Patel unleash a blitz against Tim Bresnan. The seamer went for 26 in his opening spell of two overs and Parthiv’s whipped six over square-leg and the deft four past third-man, stood out for the sheer disdain that powered those shots. England gained some respite when Parthiv feathered a snick off James Anderson, pondered about going for a review, had a word with Ajinkya Rahane and then trudged away.

Rahane (54, 47b, 5x4, 1x6), turning out to be the find of the tour, picked up from where Parthiv left and the opener’s astounding six off Stuart Broad over mid-wicket kept India chugging along at a merry canter. Rahane controlled his strokes to a nicety be it pulling Jade Dernbach or dancing down the track and lofting Graeme Swann while at the other end, Rahul Dravid upper-cut Broad for four. Rahane and Dravid added 79 runs for the second wicket off 68 deliveries.

India then lost three wickets as Swann (three for 33) threatened to put the skids on the scoring rate. Dravid failed to drill one past short mid-on, Kohli picked Bell on the long-on fence and a tiring Rahane watched England’s off-spinner pluck an overhead catch in his follow through. Swann’s caught and bowled was one among the three scintillating catches that England pouched through the Indian innings with the other two being Ben Stokes’ effort to snap up Suresh Raina and Bell’s athleticism to get rid of Manoj Tiwary.

Thankfully for India the interlude between the cluster of wickets in the middle and the final overs, was lit up Raina’s (40, 19, 3x4, 3x6) belligerence as he cleared his front foot and hit through the line. Dernbach’s variations drew no respect from the southpaw as the ball vanished into the stands and Swann was deposited past cover while India finished with a total that appeared competitive at the dinner break but in the end proved inadequate against an England team that holds a distinct psychological edge.

The scores.

India: Parthiv Patel c Kieswetter b Anderson 28 (18b, 3x4, 2x6), A. Rahane c & b Swann 54 (47b, 5x4, 1x6), R. Dravid c Anderson b Swann 32 (31b, 2x4), V. Kohli c Bell b Swann 9 (9b), S. Raina c Stokes b Bresnan 40 (19b, 3x4, 3x6), M.S. Dhoni c Bell b Bresnan 6 (5b, 1x4), M. Tiwary c Bell b Bresnan 11 (7b, 1x4), R. Ashwin (run out) 1 (1b), Praveen Kumar (not out) 0 (1b). Extras (lb-2, w-4): 6. Total (for eight wkts., in 23 overs): 187.

Power Plays: First (Overs 1 - 5): 36/1; Bowling (6 - 7): 14/0; Batting (20 - 21): 28/1.

Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Parthiv), 2-109 (Dravid), 3-125 (Kohli), 4-143 (Rahane), 5-164 (Dhoni), 6-182 (Raina), 7-186 (Tiwary), 8-187 (Ashwin).

England bowling: Bresnan 4-0-43-3, Anderson 3-0-11-1, Broad 3-0-25-0, Dernbach 5-0-50-0, Bopara 2-0-13-0, Swann 5-0-33-3, Samit 1-0-11-0.

England: A. Cook (not out) 80 (63b, 5x4, 1x6), C. Kieswetter lbw b Vinay 46 (25b, 4x4, 3x6), I. Bell c Kohli b Ashwin 25 (16b, 4x4), R. Bopara c Kohli b Ashwin 24 (20b, 3x4), S. Patel (not out) 9 (9b). Extras (lb-2, w-2): 4. Total (for three wkts., in 22.1 overs): 188.

Power Plays: One (Overs 1 - 5): 56/0; Bowling (6 - 7): 19/1; Batting (22 – 23): 5/0.

Fall of wickets: 1-67 (Kieswetter), 2-105 (Bell), 3-165 (Bopara).

India bowling: Praveen 4-0-41-0, Vinay 4.1-0-33-1, Ashwin 5-0-42-2, Munaf 5-0-35-0, Kohli 3-0-22-0, Raina 1-0-13-0.

Eng vs Ind 2nd ODI cricinfo

Injuries compound India's woes

 

AP Indian captain M.S. Dhoni during a practice session. File photo

 

Issuing medical bulletins and mulling over a team that failed to live up to its rich vein of numbers, be it runs or wickets, has been M.S. Dhoni's plight through this tour. Sadly there seems to be no relief in sight as Sachin Tendulkar too has joined the list of those advancing their return tickets to India.

The maestro's toe-injury forced him out of the squad and has compounded India's woes. Dhoni must have surely wondered about the limited options he has in fielding a strong eleven at the Rose Bowl here for Tuesday's second ODI of the NatWest Series.

Ravindra Jadeja is yet to join the team due to the delay in getting his visa, Manoj Tiwary is on the flight to England and on Monday afternoon, the team had just 13 players at practice. To make it worse even that training session was affected by rain.

The Indian captain has often stated his preference for fielding seven batsmen, but unfortunately the injuries, especially the ones that derailed Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma, have reduced the ratio of fit willow wielders in the squad.

Dhoni obviously cannot risk playing a jet-lagged Tiwary, who once got a rude wake-up call from a Brett Lee yorker shortly after landing in Australia. The skipper's hand has been forced and he will have to play an extra bowler and one among R.P. Singh, Amit Mishra and Varun Aaron, will get the nod.

The depressing medley of stiff limbs and dark clouds does fit into this tour's theme of sighs and slumps. The Indian team was ready to unveil its combative spirit but dark clouds doused the flame at Chester-le-Street on Saturday.

In that first match, India did well with Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane braving past the first spells and though Rahul Dravid suffered another iffy decision and Stuart Broad pinged Rohit Sharma's right hand, Suresh Raina's fervour at number six augured well.

In the press box, a sceptical Farokh Engineer felt that India had fallen short in the batting Power Play (38/1) but Praveen Kumar scalped England captain Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter and the host would have struggled against a revised target if the rain had stopped.

Morale high

India now needs a stirring performance and though Parthiv said that the morale was high in the dressing room, defeat can scald and rain-breaks breed boredom.

Dhoni and his mates can look up the Wisden and read about the 1996 tour on which Navjot Singh Sidhu's desertion and Sanjay Manjrekar's injury rankled but two men broke through that gloom and made a name for themselves — Dravid and Sourav Ganguly.

Dravid is still playing while Ganguly wears dapper suits and does commentary. If the man, who once removed his shirt at Lord's, rues that he did not get his cricket gear out here, he cannot be blamed considering the extent of injury-enforced departures within the team.

India needs another moment of hope like the one it enjoyed in 1996 and Ian Bell said: “It is a tough team to break in and I would believe that any young player who gets into that Indian squad would want to score as much as they can and get as many wickets.”

England is aware that in the limited-over format, its bowling riches cannot be fully advertised. On Saturday, the fast bowlers got carried away in bouncing at Parthiv and it was one morning when intimidation did not work.

On the match eve here, Graeme Swann bowled in the nets though there is no clarity about whether he has fully recovered from the viral bout that benched him at Chester-le-Street.

Among its batsmen, Cook and Bell would relish their memories.

In the 2007 NatWest match here, Cook scored 102, Bell remained unbeaten on 126 and England defeated India by 104 runs.

For now, India and England will also have to grapple with the weather's quixotic ways under lights as rain is forecast during the match.

The teams (from): India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Parthiv Patel, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Varun Aaron, Vinay Kumar, R.P. Singh, Amit Mishra, R. Ashwin, Manoj Tiwary and Ravindra Jadeja.

England: Alastair Cook (captain), Craig Kieswetter, Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes, Ravi Bopara, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Samit Patel and Graeme Swann.

Umpires: Billy Doctrove and Rob Bailey; Third umpire: Marais Erasmus.

Match referee: Jeff Crowe.

Match starts at 6.30 p.m. IST.

Badrinath Comes in ODI Series

Tamil Nadu’s Badrinath replaces injured Tendulkar

The Hindu S. Badrinath will join the injury-ravaged Indian squad.

 

Subramaniam Badrinath was on Monday named as replacement for Sachin Tendulkar, who has been ruled out of the remainder of India’s ongoing five—match ODI series against England due to a toe injury.

Tendulkar was carrying the injury for quite a while but the problem aggravated just before the opening match of the series at Chester—le—Street on Saturday, eventually paving the way for Parthiv Patel’s last—minute inclusion to the playing eleven.

“Sachin Tendulkar has been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against England due to a toe injury. He has been advised rest for four weeks. The All—India Senior Selection Committee has chosen S Badrinath to replace him,” BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan said in a statement.

Badrinath, who made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in 2008, has scored 79 runs in seven one—dayers so far.

The Tamil Nadu batsman was also in the squad for India’s tour of West Indies earlier this year, but failed to impress.

It has been a disastrous tour for India as many leading players, including Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Yuvraj Singh suffered injuries at various stages.

Tendulkar out for four weeks, to miss ODI series

  

AP The absence of batsman Sachin Tendulkar from the ODI series will come as a huge blow for the struggling Indian team.

 

Sachin Tendulkar was ruled out of the entire ODI series against England because of a toe injury, dealing a massive blow to a struggling India, which has already been laid low by a spate of injuries to key players.

Tendulkar was carrying this injury for quite a while, but the problem aggravated just before the opening match of the five—match series at Chester—le—Street on Saturday.

The 38—year—old Tendulkar missed the opening match of the ODI series because of an inflamation of the toe injury, and will need at least four weeks to recover fully.

“Tendulkar has been ruled out of the series and he will take another four weeks to regain fitness,” team manager Shivlal Yadav said.

The veteran batsman, who captains the Mumbai Indians, is also almost certain to miss the Champions League Twenty20 event to be held at four venues in the country from September 19 to October 9.

The batting maestro, who is just one short of completing the incredible milestone of 100 international centuries, will have to wait with this latest injury.

It has been a wretched tour so far for India, who lost the Test series 0—4 before being handed a defeat in the lone Twenty20 match as well.

The team is already missing key players such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan due to injuries.

Sharma was the last Indian cricketer to have been ruled out after being hit by a Stuart Broad delivery in the 38th over of the Indian innings during the first ODI.

Sharma retired hurt after facing that ball. He went for a check up and a fracture was confirmed.

While Sehwag is out because of hearing problems, Gambhir has been forced to go back due to blurred vision following an awkward fall during a Test. Zaheer, on the other hand, has already undergone an ankle surgery.

Runs by the top order will help India turn it around

AFP Proving a point: Wiht no immediate baggage of defeat to lug around Ajinkya Rahane has been able to make the most of the opportunity presented to him.

 

For Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane every game is a rare opportunity

Well begun is half done, goes an old saying, and for the Indian team that could well be the key in the remainder of the NatWest ODI series. India's improved showing at the Durham International Cricket Ground here on a wet Saturday that ended in a no-result, sprung from a fine start that Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane engineered under overcast skies.

Being fresh additions to the team after India's disastrous outing in the Tests, Parthiv and Rahane have no baggage of defeat to lug around and every game is a rare opportunity that comes their way only when the trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir miss out due to injuries.

The duo's 82-run alliance spread over 16 overs snuffed out Alastair Cook's dreams of an early breakthrough and it has to be mentioned that the constant verbal volleys about Indians' alleged distrust of the bouncer shifted the priorities of the England fast bowlers. Length was shortened and that negated swing while fielders were placed for the slash and the hook.

Parthiv (95) chanced his arm before correcting his approach while being ever alive to denting the boards in the arc between mid-wicket and backward square-leg. Rahane, the more correct and composed player, followed up his 61 in the Twenty20 at Old Trafford with a measured 40. “They played the new ball well in tough conditions and adjusted to the pressure and that helped the team,” M.S. Dhoni said.

No final word

There is no final word yet on Tendulkar's fitness. If the maestro's toe heals then in all probability Parthiv will be his opening partner in the second match at Southampton on Tuesday with Rahane occupying the middle-order slot left vacant by an injured Rohit Sharma. For now though, Parthiv and Rahane are pencilled in as openers.

India's form in ODIs — a phrase that ought to be tinged with a rosy hue considering that Dhoni lifted the World Cup on April 2 — has been directly proportional to what its openers do upfront.

Prior to the World Cup, India lost the ODI series 2-3 in South Africa and it will be instructive to observe the partnerships that its openers charted against the Proteas. The combinations of Tendulkar and Murali Vijay; Rohit Sharma and Vijay; and Rohit and Parthiv were tried and the partnerships remained below par at 3, 21, 4, 1 and 21.

The ‘Men in Blue' subsequently lifted their performance enormously in the World Cup as the old combine of Tendulkar and Sehwag opened with Gambhir stepping in at number three.

The runs flowed and partnerships bloomed right from the moment Sehwag slammed a hundred against Bangladesh in the Cup's first contest and when the openers suffered a blip against Lasith Malinga in the final with the score reading 31 for two, Gambhir sealed the cracks with a 97 and Dhoni took centrestage.

Subsequently in the West Indies, Parthiv and Shikhar Dhawan opened together in four ODIs and in one game Manoj Tiwary allied with Parthiv but the alliances remained cold at 29, 8, 26, 20 and 15. India won the series 3-2 but its middle order never had the time to sip a tea and munch a sandwich.

Cut to the present, India needs its openers to tide past the initial skirmishes against seam and swing. Parthiv, eager to firm up his comeback, and Rahane, itching to prove that his exploits in first-class cricket were no flash in the pan, are a bundle of contrasts. Until the regular troika of Tendulkar, Sehwag and Gambhir get back together, Parthiv and Rahane will have an extended run and Dhoni said: “If you think about the next three or four years, these are the players who will be playing at that point of time. So the more experienced they get the better it is.”

Runs atop the order and umpires who weigh their referrals with more thought unlike the manner in which Rahul Dravid was dealt with here on Saturday, will help India turn it around.

Manoj Tiwari Replace to Rohit

Tiwary to replace Rohit

Manoj Tiwary will replace Rohit Sharma in the Indian ODI squad for the current NatWest Series. Rohit fractured his right index finger in the first match of the series at Durham International Cricket Ground here on Saturday, after being struck by a Stuart Broad short-pitched delivery.

Tiwary had a good run in the Emerging Players tournament in Australia recently and scored 188 against New Zealand ‘A'. The Bengal cricketer last played for India in the ODI series in the West Indies, scoring two and 22 in two matches.

India and England will play the second match at Southampton on Tuesday.

After injuries ravaged India on the current tour, Tiwary is the latest replacement to join the squad. Recently, Ravindra Jadeja had stepped in for Gautam Gambhir.

Rohit Out of ODI Series

Now injury strikes Rohit, Tendulkar

AP Rohit Sharma in pain while being attended to by the team physio after being struck on the hand by a Stuart Broad delivery on Saturday.

The spectre of injury continues to haunt India on its current England tour. Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma are the latest to join the injured list.

Tendulkar is nursing a toe inflammation while Rohit suffered a right index finger fracture.

Saturday dawned here with Tendulkar missing from the Indian playing eleven in the first Natwest ODI against England.

Tendulkar was laid low by an inflammation on his right big toe and in the commentary box, Nasser Hussain asked Sanjay Manjrekar: “Any news on Tendulkar?” And Manjrekar replied: “You hardly get anything out of the Indian dressing room. From what I have gathered, he has an inflammation on his toe and it is a toe with history, having suffered a few stress fractures in the past. He felt sore after practice on Friday.”

Tendulkar will consult a doctor at Southampton, where the second ODI will be held on Tuesday. Rohit meanwhile was struck on his right hand by a Stuart Broad delivery that climbed into him.

It was the first ball that he faced here on Saturday and it proved to be his last as he writhed in agony and walked away. X-rays later revealed a fracture.

First ODI Stop by Rain

Wet weather douses Indian hopes

AP Parthiv Patel plays the pull during his entertaining knock against England in the first ODI at the Riverside Ground on Saturday.

 

The Indian team finally displayed a sunny streak against England. Ironically the warmth on the field found no reflection in the wet weather and the first ODI of the NatWest Series that commenced at the Durham International Cricket Stadium here on Saturday was abandoned at 5.30 p.m. local time.

India was truly on top after Praveen Kumar's twin strikes during England's chase added value to a cohesive batting display powered by Parthiv Patel's 95. When the umbrellas were opened in the stands at 3.01 p.m. local time, England had struggled at 27 for two in 7.2 overs with Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell at the crease. Unfortunately for India, the match never revived. Earlier, India scored 274 for seven in 50 overs.

Praveen's twin strikes

Praveen snapped up Alastair Cook on the cut with the fidgety England captain chopping one straight onto his stumps and after three overs, the seamer trapped Craig Kieswetter on the shuffle. Trott drove with finesse against Vinay Kumar but the Indians sensed a chance and were upbeat before the clouds finally lived up to their dark promise.

In the morning, low-slung clouds goaded Cook to press his bowlers into service after winning the toss. A few play-and-miss routines from the Indian openers offered hope but Parthiv and Ajinkya Rahane struck in tandem. Dropped on seven by Ben Stokes while Tim Bresnan fumed, Parthiv merrily pulled the bowlers, who fancied their chances of knocking his head off and kept banging it short.

Delightful hitting

Some shots teased the fielders but as his tenure lengthened, Parthiv (95, 107b, 12x4) threaded his runs through a packed on-side, dabbed a few behind the wicket and hooked anything that homed in close to his eye brows. The quartet of James Anderson, Bresnan, Stuart Broad and Jade Dernbach were treated with scant regard and Parthiv's partner Rahane too joined the fun.

Rahane's inside-out drive over extra-cover off Broad stood out as India enjoyed its first significant opening partnership (82) on the tour after Gautam Gambhir and Abhinav Mukund's 63 in the first innings at Lord's in July.

India then lost two wickets in a span of ten deliveries with Rahane miscuing a pull and Rahul Dravid getting mired in that unerring pattern of solid knocks and dodgy decisions that trailed him all summer.

Dravid done in again

Broad angled one across Dravid's defensive blade, the bowler and Kieswetter were convinced of a snick, Billy Doctrove was not and England plumped for the review. Up in the box, Marais Erasmus watched inconclusive replays for eternity, the hot-spot remained cold and finally the third umpire latched onto a sound when the ball shimmied near Dravid's bat. Doctrove pondered and then shot his finger up and Dravid walked away.

Parthiv meanwhile picked up the gauntlet thrown by Cook. Fielders at fine-leg (fine and wide) and backward square-leg and the hint of a bouncer from Bresnan were dealt in style. The opener, swivelled and hooked and the trio on the fence was rendered ineffective. Parthiv marched towards his highest ODI score and shared a 103-run third-wicket partnership with an enterprising Virat Kohli (55).

Anderson's feat

A maiden hundred beckoned but Parthiv edged Anderson and as the southpaw walked away, Kohli patted his shoulder for a fine knock. Anderson's 200th wicket triggered a brief downturn in the Indian innings as Broad's delivery dented Rohit Sharma's right hand and Kohli dragged Samit Patel on to his stumps. In the last stretch, Suresh Raina, clouted a six each off Broad and Dernbach and Dhoni ran hard.

Eventually India raced to a total that should have ideally tested England especially after the departure of Cook and Kieswetter but the rain queered the equation and Dhoni's men could not do what they yearned for all summer — exert pressure on England.

Scoreboard

India: Parthiv c Kieswetter b Anderson 95 (107b, 12x4), A. Rahane c Samit b Broad 40 (44b, 6x4), R. Dravid c Kieswetter b Broad 2 (6b), V. Kohli b Samit 55 (73b, 4x4), Rohit (retd. hurt) 0 (1b), S. Raina c Cook b Dernbach 38 (29b, 2x4, 2x6), Dhoni c Kieswetter b Bresnan 33 (36b, 2x4), Praveen (not out) 2 (2b), R. Ashwin b Bresnan 0 (1b), Vinay Kumar (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-5, w-3): 8; Total (for seven wkts. in 50 overs): 274.

Power Plays: One (overs 1-10): 43/0; Bowling (11-15): 35/0; Batting (45-49): 38/1.

Fall of wickets: 1-82 (Rahane), 2-87 (Dravid), 3-190 (Parthiv), 4-206 (Kohli), 5-266 (Raina), 6-272 (Dhoni), 7-272 (Ashwin).

England bowling: Anderson 9-0-41-1, Bresnan 10-0-54-2, Broad 10-0-56-2, Dernbach 9-0-62-1, Samit 10-0-42-1, Trott 2-0-14-0.

England: A. Cook b Praveen 4 (10b, 1x4), C. Kieswetter lbw b Praveen 6 (19b, 1x4), J. Trott (batting) 14 (14b, 3x4), I. Bell (batting) 2 (1b). Extras (lb-1): 1. Total (for two wkts. in 7.2 overs when rain stopped play): 27.

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Cook), 2-21 (Kieswetter).

India bowling: Praveen 4-1-11-2, Vinay 3.2-1-15-0.

Sachin Meet By Surgeon

Tendulkar’s toe injury flares up, to meet surgeon

AP India's injury-ravaged squad receieved another major blow with Sachin Tendulkar's toe injury.

 

The Indian cricket team’s injury woes were on Saturday compounded with senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar forced to sit out of the opening one-dayer against England here due to a toe injury.

Tendulkar has been carrying this injury for quite a while, but the problem aggravated before the opener of the five—match series.

The 38—year—old Tendulkar will meet a surgeon, either on Sunday or on Monday, before a final call is taken on his availability for the series, according to team sources.

The batting maestro, who is just one short of completing the incredible milestone of 100 international centuries, may have to wait just a little longer with this latest injury.

It has been a wretched tour so far for India, who lost the Test series 0-4 before being handed a defeat in the lone Twenty20 match as well.

The team is already missing key players such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan due to injuries and if Tendulkar is also ruled, it would be yet another massive blow for the visitors.

While Sehwag is out because of hearing problems, Gambhir has been forced to go back due to blurred vision following an awkward fall during a Test. Zaheer, on the other hand, has already undergone an ankle surgery.

India Close Innings at 274/7 (50 Ov)

Parthiv takes India to 274/7

AP Parthiv Patel plays the pull during his entertaining knock against England in the first ODI at the Riverside Ground on Saturday.

 

Invited to bat, India scored 274 for seven in the first cricket One-day International against England at Riverside Ground here on Saturday.

(Full report to follow)

Brief Scores:

India: 274 for 7 in 50 overs. (Parthiv Patel 95, Virat Kohli 55, Ajinkya Rahane 40, Suresh Raina 38; Stuart Broad 2/56).

England Alsowin in T20

Morgan steers England to victory

AP Eoin Morgan struck a quickfire 49 as England thumped India by six wickets in the one-off Twenty20 international.

 

England’s winning ways continued against India on a nippy Wednesday night here at Old Trafford. In a NatWest Twenty20 match that careened to the last over with England needing 10 runs, Samit Patel struck two fours against Vinay Kumar to guide the host to a six-wicket victory.

Chasing India’s 165 in 19.4 overs, England scored 169 for four in 19.3 overs. The pursuit initially hinged on Kevin Pietersen’s bluster while Praveen Kumar trapped debutant Alex Hales for a blob in the first over. Craig Kieswetter stayed busy but it was Pietersen, who rattled the bowlers. A dropped catch by a scrambling Parthiv Patel helped Pietersen to stay afloat and he also did not allow R. Ashwin to settle down, finding his spots on the leg-side.

India sniffed a chance when Munaf Patel, prone to the angry aside against batsmen, snapped up Kieswetter. In the next over, Virat Kohli drew Pietersen out for M.S. Dhoni to do the rest and at 61 for three, England needed a partnership, which chimed in through Eoin Morgan (49) and Ravi Bopara. The duo added 73 runs for the fourth-wicket with Morgan shifting gears against Rohit Sharma, clubbing two fours and a six.

Morgan reverse swept Ashwin, caned Praveen before a square-drive against Munaf turned fatal. Bopara and Samit Patel then anchored the final stretch. Amidst the gloom, the Indians found some comic relief when Samit’s bat broke while trying to carve Munaf, who bowled a tight penultimate over, conceding just three runs.

It all boiled down to the last over but Vinay bowled a wide, the next delivery turned out to be four byes and then Samit scooped a four beating third-man and pummelled one over covers to seal the match.

Earlier the Indian innings was a contrasting blend of a debutant’s moment under the lights and an inexplicable batting collapse with Man of the Match Jade Dernbach grabbing four wickets. After Dhoni opted to bat, the start was brisk as India’s openers Parthiv and Ajinkya Rahane remained positive. Parthiv chanced his arms often and finally succumbed to Dernbach.

The evening however belonged to Rahane (61, 39b, 8x4), who displayed no nerves of a debutant. His first run might have been an ungainly single off Tim Bresnan but after that Rahane played a bouquet of shots that spelt ease and that extra second.

Rahane pulled Stuart Broad and when the England skipper over-compensated in length, the flick was unleashed. Graeme Swann was greeted with dancing feet and a free bat-swing and the debutant’s vigour rubbed onto another player making his first step in an international Twenty20 match. Rahul Dravid proved equal to the task and in a second-wicket partnership of 65 runs, the veteran pounded three consecutive sixes off Samit Patel.

Inexplicably India suffered a mini-collapse as four wickets fell in a span of 15 balls. Dravid failed to drill one past the in-field against Bopara and Broad prised out Rahane and Kohli. The tumble got worse when Rohit Sharma was left stranded by Swann and India lost half its men for 117 in 14 overs.

Further alarms were paused when Suresh Raina struck Broad and Bresnan over the mid-wicket ropes. The southpaw also stole a four off his nemesis – Swann. At the other end, Dhoni remained circumspect and soon another collapse tripped the Indians with the last five wickets falling for eight runs and it did have a bearing on the result.

The scores. India: Parthiv Patel c Broad b Dernbach 10 (12b, 2x4), A. Rahane c Dernbach b Broad 61 (39b, 8x4), R. Dravid c Morgan b Bopara 31 (21b, 3x6), V. Kohli c Kieswetter b Broad 4 (5b), R. Sharma st Kieswetter b Swann 1 (3b), S. Raina c Broad b Bresnan 33 (19b, 2x4, 3x6), M.S. Dhoni c Hales b Dernbach 8 (8b, 1x4), R. Ashwin (run out) 4 (2b, 1x4), Praveen Kumar b Dernbach 1 (4b), Vinay Kumar (not out) 2 (4b), Munaf c Kieswetter b Dernbach 0 (1b). Extras (lb-7, w-3): 10. Total (all out in 19.4 overs): 165.

Power Play (Overs 1 – 6): 49/1.

Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Parthiv), 2-104 (Dravid), 3-106 (Rahane), 4-108 (Kohli), 5-117 (Sharma), 6-158 (Dhoni), 7-162 (Ashwin), 8-162 (Raina), 9-165 (Praveen).

England bowling: Bresnan 4-0-33-1, Dernbach 3.4-0-22-4, Broad 4-0-37-2, Samit Patel 3-0-34-0, Swann 4-0-28-1, Bopara 1-0-4-1.

England: A. Hales lbw b Praveen 0 (2b), C. Kieswetter c Raina b Munaf 18 (13b, 2x4), K. Pietersen st Dhoni b Kohli 33 (23b, 5x4), E. Morgan c Sharma b Munaf 49 (27b, 7x4, 1x6), R. Bopara (not out) 31 (36b, 2x4) , Samit Patel (not out) 25 (16b, 3x4). Extras (lb-7, w-6): 13. Total (for four wkts., in 19.3 overs): 169.

Power Play (Overs 1 - 6): 58/1.

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Hales), 2-58 (Kieswetter), 3-61 (Pietersen), 4-134 (Morgan).

India bowling: Praveen 4-0-27-1, Vinay 3.3-0-35-0, Munaf 4-0-25-2, Ashwin 4-0-37-0, Kohli 3-0-22-1, Sharma 1-0-16-0.