England v India at Durban, 26 Feb 2003 Stephen Lamb |
India, Pool A innings:
Pre-game: England innings: |
Mongia took advantage of about the only loose ball Flintoff bowled, with four backward of point. Dravid, after cutting White to the fence, survived a confident caught behind appeal off Flintoff, who ended his ten-over spell with the magnificent figures of two for 15.
Irani and Collingwood kept India in check, backed up by excellent fielding, with one diving, one-handed save by Hussain in the covers outstanding. Boundaries were few and far between, although Mongia, missed by Stewart cutting at Collingwood, took one through mid-wicket off Irani. India took 89 balls to compile their third 50 of the innings.
Collingwood had his revenge when Mongia was out tamely, plumb lbw hitting across a straight ball. As the pitch slowed up, Dravid and Yuvraj built a vital partnership for India, initially maintaining the momentum mainly in ones and twos, although Yuvraj opened out with a huge on drive for six off Irani.
Such aggression prompted Hussain to revert to Caddick, who was deftly flicked through long leg by Yuvraj and edged to the rope at third man by Dravid. A slower ball was carved through extra cover as Yuvraj accelerated.
To England’s relief Anderson, bowling round the wicket to the left-handed Yuvraj, cramped him up as he tried to force through extra cover, where Hussain leapt to hold a fine catch with both hands above his head.
Dravid continued to flourish, drilling Anderson for a leg-side six to reach 50. He lost Kaif in the last over, swinging Caddick high to Flintoff, and was himself caught next ball, clouting a slower ball to Collingwood at long-on. Harbhajan was immediately run out by Stewart attempting a bye, When Srinath hit Caddick to Trescothick at deep extra, the innings had ended with four wickets off successive balls.
India started cautiously, although Tendulkar clipped Caddick for a delightful square-leg boundary in the first over of the day. But for a leg-side wide Anderson would have begun with a maiden, and there were moral victories for each bowler – Caddick beat Tendulkar and Sehwag took a single to third man after Anderson found his outside edge.
In the fifth over Tendulkar, off balance, hooked Caddick aerially but just beyond the reach of the diving Anderson at fine leg. Sehwag diced with danger outside the off stump as Caddick maintained a consistent line.
Tendulkar’s third boundary was laced through the covers off Anderson, who went for 16 off his next over as Sehwag opened the throttle after an uncharacteristically spluttering start. He found the fence at long-on, backward of point and then extra cover. Caddick was equally expensive next over, as Tendulkar hit him for four through square leg and six over mid-wicket, and Sehwag profited with another leg-side boundary.
Forced into a bowling change, Hussain turned to Flintoff, who did the trick in his first over. Sehwag got a leading edge as he tried to turn him to leg, and Flintoff comfortably held the return catch. But there was no containing Tendulkar, who took three more boundaries off Caddick to force his removal from the attack.
The introduction of White made little difference; he was promptly hit to the rope at extra cover. Ganguly made a circumspect start, but Tendulkar went to an excellent 50 in the 15th over.
The critical breakthrough came with the second ball after the 15-over drinks break. Flintoff found extra bounce and Tendulkar, not quite over a square drive, was comfortably taken by Collingwood at backward point. As so often when India’s superstar departs, an eerie silence ensued.
India’s batting quietened with the crowd, as the estimable Flintoff held his line and length and Anderson, recalled on the arrival of Mongia, settled back into the groove of earlier matches. But when he made way for White, Ganguly took four to point.
The bowling change was justified, though, when Ganguly drove too ambitiously, straight and high for Trescothick, running round from mid-on, to take a well-judged catch behind the bowler.
Ronnie Irani has been included in England's team. The Essex all-rounder, who played in place of the injured Nasser Hussain in the England's competition in England's 55-run win over Namibia, replaces left-arm spinner Ashley Giles.
England are hoping that their attack will suit the humid conditions and firm-looking pitch at Kingsmead.
India are fielding the same side that beat Namibia by 181 runs earlier this week, once again overlooking experienced leg-spinner Anil Kumble to allow for an extra seamer.
Teams:
England: ME Trescothick, NV Knight, MP Vaughan, N Hussain (Capt) AJ Stewart (Wkt), PD Collingwood, A Flintoff, C White, RC Irani AR Caddick, JM Anderson.
India: SR Tendulkar, V Sehwag, SC Ganguly (Capt), R Dravid (Wkt) Yuvraj Singh, D Mongia, M Kaif, Harbhajan Singh, A Nehra, Z Khan, J Srinath.
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Date-stamped : 26 Feb2003 - 23:57