India bully England to level at 1-1

England suffered a sobering experience in Kochi, comprehensively beaten by 127 runs by India as a determined MS Dhoni and his team gave almost 70,000 excited supporters just what they wanted to level the five-match series at 1-1.

India totalled 285 for 6 from their 50 overs as England's bowlers, after an encouraging start, were savaged by the magnificent Dhoni and an inspired Ravindra Jadeja as 96 runs came from the last eight overs of the innings. In reply, England collapsed horribly to 158 all out with only Kevin Pietersen, with 42, Joe Root (36) and Samit Patel, with a jaunty 30 not out when all hope had long gone, looking threatening. Too many of England's lower middle-order then struggled against spin on a slow, low surface.

England fall to No 2 in the world ODI rankings as a result of this defeat, with India close behind in third position and now favourites again to take the series. As Ravi Ashwin, the Indian off spinner said after the game: "This was an important win. If we had gone 2-0 down it would have been difficult to win the series."

Suresh Raina, Dhoni and Jadeja all hit two sixes plus a collective stream of fours in superb half-centuries to haul India back from 119 for 4. Raina fell for 55 at 174 but Jadeja - who finished with 61 not out from only 37 balls - then joined Dhoni in a flamboyant partnership of 96 in 10 overs. The remarkable Dhoni's perfectly-judged 72 from 66 balls was a true captain's innings.

At 73 for 2 England still looked in position, however, to mount a challenge and it was the skiddy fast-medium of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar which did the major damage. First Kumar won a debatable lbw decision to send back Alastair Cook for 17 and then cut the ball back into Pietersen to bowl him before, two balls later, angling one across Eoin Morgan to have the left-hander well-held low down by a diving Dhoni for a duck.

Ian Bell had gone in the second over for 1, edging a drive at a wide one to Dhoni, and from 73 for 4 a sluggish 37-run stand between Root and Craig Kieswetter never hinted at a counter-attack. Nor did it ever come, and after the high promise of their nine-run win in the opening international at Rajkot this was back to earth with a jarring bump for England.

 

Date: 15/01/2013 13:57:32 by TheCricketer
In: Today | England |