England v India at Durban, 26 Feb 2003
Stephen Lamb
CricInfo.com

India, Pool A innings: 25 overs, Close,
Pre-game: Toss,
England innings: 25 overs,


ENGLAND WICKETS TUMBLE AT DURBAN
India’s bowlers have taken control with key wickets after England were set 251 to win under lights in their crucial World Cup Group A match at Kingsmead. Three batsmen – Hussain, Stewart and Vaughan - were dismissed by Ashish Nehra as England reached the halfway stage on a parlous 84 for five.

Their reply began disastrously when Knight, after calling for a hugely optimistic sharp single from the first ball of the second over, was thrown out by the diving Kaif at extra cover. Excellent new ball bowling from Srinath and Zaheer Khan followed, with Trescothick struggling to lay bat on ball.

After one defiant, off-driven boundary, Trescothick was put out of his misery by Zaheer, who dug in a short ball that was mis-hit off the splice to the lurking Tendulkar at backward square leg. Hussain was missed off Zaheer, a difficult, diving effort by Dravid behind the stumps.

The first boundary didn’t come until the 10th over, when Vaughan managed to clip the admirable Srinath through mid-wicket. After taking one for 14 from six overs Zaheer made way for Nehra, who was glanced fine to the rope by Vaughan.

Hussain defiantly gave Srinath the charge, clubbing successive boundaries back past the bowler, who made way for Ganguly in the 16th, in which four leg byes brought up England’s 50. But Nehra made another vital breakthrough as Hussain, trying to cut, got a thin edge through to Dravid.

The very next ball saw the end of Stewart, caught in front of his stumps like a rabbit in headlights to put Nehra on a hat-trick. He was off target with the crucial ball, and Collingwood got under way with a single to fine leg. But Nehra delivered another body blow when Vaughan edged a ball of full length to Dravid.

Flintoff was more fortunate to take four from a snick off Ganguly, but at the halfway stage England needed some awesome heroics to pull them out of the mire.



DRAVID ENSURES CHALLENGING TARGET FOR ENGLAND
A bustling fifth-wicket partnership of 62 by Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh revived a flagging India innings against England in the all-important World Cup Group A match at Kingsmead. India ended their 50 overs on a combative 250 for nine, with Dravid out in the final over for a thoroughly impressive 62.

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.



ENGLAND FIGHT BACK AFTER TENDULKAR DISMISSAL
Outstanding bowling by Andrew Flintoff helped England to restrain India after Sachin Tendulkar had threatened to take control of their crucial World Cup Group A encounter at Kingsmead. Tendulkar had made a run-a-ball half-century when he fell almost immediately after the first drinks interval, and after 25 overs India, forced to take stock, were 112 for three.

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.



INDIA BAT FIRST AS ENGLAND INCLUDE IRANI
India have won the toss and decided to bat against England in their crucial Pool A World Cup match in Durban.

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