Bright England back on track

27 August 2007

Ian Bell on his way to a fine 79. He also claimed two catches and a run-out © Getty Images

England went 2-1 up in the NatWest Series as an excellent all-round performance led them to a 42-run victory over India at Edgbaston.

Ian Bell’s 79 formed the backbone as England, who lost the second match of the series, reached 281 for eight before a disciplined bowling display ensured India did not get close to their target despite 72 from Sourav Ganguly.

James Anderson returned figures of 3-32, Paul Collingwood and Chris Tremlett eached claimed two wickets and a near-faultless fielding performance restricted India to 239.

A dynamic opening partnership gave England a strong platform, although Zaheer Khan was unlucky not to claim the wicket of Alastair Cook early when RP Singh spilled a simple chance.

But just as Matt Prior (34) was really cutting loose, he perished, attempting to pull Munaf Patel but only finding Piyush Chawla at point with a leading edge.

Off-spinner Ramesh Powar struck when Cook (40) mistimed his sweep, popping the ball up into the grateful hands of Yuvraj Singh at short fine-leg.

That brought Kevin Pietersen to the crease but he was again undone by Chawla.

Pietersen danced down the pitch but was beaten by a googly, and wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni nonchalantly removed the bails.

Collingwood dispatched Chawla for six over mid-wicket and Bell claimed a maximum with a powerful leg-side swipe, but in general England settled into quiet accumulation.

The reintroduction of Zaheer was greeted by a straight drive for four from Collingwood, but his luck ran out when he reverse-swept Powar straight to substitute Robin Uthappa to leave England 193 for four.

Yuvraj Singh is delighted after capturing the wicket of Owais Shah for 19 © Getty Images

Buy this photo

Owais Shah contributed a quickfire 19 from 15 balls before having his leg stump knocked back by Yuvraj, much to the delight of the left-armer who had seen his previous delivery smitten for a towering six.

Bell drove Chawla beautifully back over his head for six but Ravi Bopara’s leading edge off the returning RP Singh went straight to Rahul Dravid.

Bell fell in similar fashion, caught by Karthik to give RP Singh his second wicket, and Stuart Broad hit the same bowler to Yuvraj before Chris Tremlett, who hit one straight six out of the ground, added valuable late runs.

In reply, Ganguly hit four boundaries off Anderson’s second over, including three in succession, but this was by no means typical as some tight bowling from Anderson and, in particular, Broad restricted Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar mostly to ones and twos.

That pressure told in the 10th over. Tendulkar attempted an uppercut off the last ball of the first powerplay but found Collingwood at backward point and Karthik followed in similar fashion after looping a shortish delivery from Broad to Cook at cover.

Tremlett struggled for the same consistency, though, with Dravid and Ganguly quick to capitalise.

Fifteen runs came off the Hampshire bowler’s second over, prompting Collingwood to introduce spinner Monty Panesar, recalled alongside Shah in place off the injured Dimitri Mascarenhas and Andrew Flintoff.

Dravid plundered 10 runs off two deliveries from Collingwood, and in the following over both he and Ganguly reached their half-centuries.

Ganguly lifted Panesar for six and greeted Tremlett’s return by crashing him through cover to bring up the 100 partnership.

Rahul Dravid turns to see the bails dislodged

Buy this photo

However, Tremlett responded well claiming the wicket of Dravid for 56 as the India captain played on before Ganguly attempted to guide the ball to fine third man but instead found the gloves of a diving Prior.

With India’s long tail effectively beginning at number seven, much rested on the shoulders of Dhoni and Yuvraj, and the pair knuckled down to the task, though Tremlett - much improved after his earlier travails - made life tough for them.

And Anderson profited immediately after being reintroduced; Dhoni swatted the ball straight at Collingwood, who held another catch at backward point to leave India 190 for five.

Yuvraj bludgeoned a huge six off Panesar but Powar perished pulling Collingwood to Bell, who dived forward to hold a good catch, and he took a simliar catch to dismiss Chawla, who popped a Collingwood delivery to cover.

But the key wicket came when Yuvraj (45) was turned back by Zaheer Khan and Bell tossed the ball to Panesar, who completed a simple run-out.

Panesar bowled Zaheer for 11 and Anderson rearranged Patel’s stumps for his third wicket to complete a fine all-round England performance.