India hold on for epic win

Munaf Patel struck twice in as many deliveries © Getty Images

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India levelled the NatWest Series at 1-1 with a thrilling nine-run win over England in a closely fought day-night game at Bristol.

Batting first, the tourists made 329 for seven thanks largely to Sachin Tendulkar’s 99 and Rahul Dravid’s 92 not out. Andrew Flintoff recorded career-best ODI figures of 5-56.

In reply England came up narrowly short on 320 for eight despite fifties from Ian Bell and Dimitri Mascarenhas after Manuf Patel, playing in place of flu-struck Zaheer Khan, had removed the hosts’ openers with successive deliveries.

England replaced spinner Monty Panesar with fast bowler Chris Tremlett as India skipper Dravid chose to bat first.

Stuart Broad and James Anderson continued Tuesday’s impressive form with the ball as India’s experienced openers, Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, made a steady start.

Paul Collingwood opted to take the third power play after 15 overs and India reacted by going on the offensive.

Tendulkar went to 51 with successive fours off Flintoff before Tremlett’s third over went for 17, bringing up India’s hundred, including a Ganguly six straight down the ground.

Tremlett could not hold a difficult chance as Tendulkar drove Flintoff flat to mid-off but Ganguly perished next ball for 39, caught by Collingwood at point.

India sent Yuvraj Singh in at number three ahead of Dravid but it was Tendulkar who continued to lead the charge with a maximum down the ground off Tremlett.

Sachin Tendulkar pulls on his way to 99 © Getty Images

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Tendulkar was denied his 42nd ODI hundred when umpire Ian Gould judged he had gloved a Flintoff bouncer down the leg side to wicket-keeper Matt Prior. His innings came from 112 deliveries, including 15 fours and a six, but arm cramps prevented him from fielding.

Dravid joined Yuvraj at the crease and the former brought India’s 200 up in the 35th over before Yuvraj, like Tendulkar, fell one run short of a milestone when he drove Broad low to Collingwood at point for 49.

Dravid reached 50 came from 43 balls before Flintoff injured his right knee when he slid feet-first into the advertising boards attempting to save a four. He returned to bowl at the end of India’s innings but was clearly in some discomfort.

Dravid took India past 300 in Anderson’s penultimate over but the bowler struck when Mahendra Singh Dhoni (21) hit a slow bouncer straight to Tremlett at short fine-leg.

Dinesh Karthik came and went, lbw to Flintoff for one, but Dravid continued on his merry way, flaying Anderson behind point for six.

Flintoff had Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar, playing in place of opening batsman Gautam Gambhir, both caught behind for a single in the final over to bring the all-rounder his first five-wicket haul in ODIs.

In reply Prior, who was dropped by Ganguly at slip off Agarkar, and Alastair Cook initially matched each other blow for blow to get England off to a fine start.

After 10 overs the hosts were 75-0 compared to India’s 39 without loss at the same stage but that soon became 76 for two as Prior and Cook both fell to Patel.

Andrew Flintoff took his first five-wicket haul in one-day internationals © Getty Images

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Having been caught off a no-ball two deliveries previously, Prior skied another pull to Dravid for 33. With the batsmen crossing, Cook was out next ball when he edged behind for 36.

Bell was also reprieved on one when he cut RP Singh high to Powar at third man but the fielder could not hold a straight-forward chance.

Having taken the second and third power plays at the earliest opportunity, India gifted Kevin Pietersen two lives in one Ganguly over. Dhoni, standing up to the stumps, could not hold a faint edge before the bowler spilled a sharp caught and bowled chance.

Pietersen punished the lapses with two fours in the next over bowled by Agarkar. But the batsman was out soon after when Chawla’s googly bowled him through the gate.

Collingwood clipped several fours through mid-wicket before he too fell to Chawla, bowled off his pads for 27. Flintoff found the boundary twice early on but holed out to Agarkar off Powar for nine.

Bopara accumulated steadily before he was dismissed lbw to Patel for 17 to leave the hosts 220-6 in the 38th over.

Bell continued to keep England in the hunt, reaching 50 from 76 balls. His straight six off Chawla was England’s first but Bell was caught next ball by Patel for 64 at long-on.

Mascarenhas kept his side’s hopes alive with five late sixes and reached his fifty from 36 balls before he holed out to Yuvraj at mid-wicket off Agarkar for 52.

Broad (29 not out) smashed 20 runs off the last over but England fell 10 runs short.