India register scrappy win

Jaipur: Indians got off to a winning start in the Champions Trophy yesterday. They bowled out England for 125, their lowest score against India in a One-dayer, and recorded a four-wicket win in the opening match of the tournament at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

England batsmen surrendered meekly before the pace of Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan and also to the guiles of off spinner Romesh Powar on a hard dry wicket.

To add to India's comfort, England's experiment with Andrew Flintoff as a top-order batsman failed miserably. After Ian Bell was surprisingly adjudged leg-before to a Patel delivery that would have sailed over the wicket, Flintoff walked in, but lasted just seven balls.

The Flintoff wicket looked like a gift. Pathan thanked the England skipper by removing Andrew Strauss, their consistent batsman, caught at second slip for 10.

Michael Yardy allowed himself to be trapped leg before by a Munaf delivery which pitched on the middle. Four wickets down for 27 is not the start which England would have liked to get on the opening day of a tournament.

The pressure of lifting the team from the disaster fell on the shoulders of Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood. Pietersen scored 27 and saw England's total past the 50-run mark.

Off spinner Romesh Powar, who bowled a tidy line and length, got his first reward. Collingwood, trying to flick, got an edge to his bat and pad and was caught by an ever alert Dhoni behind the wicket.

Collingwood who made 38 emerged as the top scorer. Dalrymple played elegantly for his 24 before he too decided to become a Powar victim.

Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar went for their shots right away to extend their domination. Sehwag, after hitting two sparkling boundaries, chased a wide delivery from Harmison and was caught at slips.

Pathan, who joined Tendulkar, consolidated India's position with a 50-run stand.

Scoreboard

England
A. Strauss c Dravid b Pathan 10
I. Bell lbw b Patel 4
A. Flintoff lbw b Pathan 0
M. Yardy lbw b Patel 4
K. Pietersen c Tendulkar b Patel 27
P. Collingwood c Dhoni b Powar 38
J. Dalrymple c Dravid b Powar 24
C. Read c Pathan b H. Singh 2
S. Mahmoud c H. Singh b Powar 8
S. Harmison not out 2
J. Anderson run out 1
Extras: (lb-2, nb-1, w-2) 5
Total: (all out, in 37 overs) 125
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-11, 3-17, 4-27, 5-55, 6-104, 7-107, 8-119, 9-124, 10-125
Bowling: Pathan 8-3-20-2, Patel 8-2-18-3, Agarkar 5-0-34-0, Singh 8-0-27-1, Powar 8-1-24-3.

India
V. Sehwag c Strauss b Harmison 9
S. Tendulkar lbw b Harmison 35
I. Pathan c Pietersen b Anderson 19
R. Dravid c Strauss b Anderson 4
Y. Singh not out 27
M. Dhoni c Collingwood b Dalrymple 7
S. Raina b Dalrymple 0
H. Singh not out 6
Extras: (lb-7, nb-1, w-11) 19
Total: (for 6 wickets, in 29.3 overs) 126
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-68, 3-72, 4-98, 5-119, 6-119
Bowling: Anderson 7-1-40-2, Harmison 6-0-34-2, Mahmoud 8.3-0-30-0, Yardy 4-0-10-0, Dalrymple 4-0-5-2.

Result: India won by four wickets

It was not a comprehensive win. But anyway India did manage to pull it off. I still do not understand the think-tank of the India team - the top scorer in the west Indies series, Kaif, does not find a place in the team, while Suresh Raina - who averages a mere 16 from his last 10-12 ODIs - is getting all the attention.
Abbas
Dubai,UAE

Well it is good that India won the match with four wickets and I wish same for all other matches. But I don't understand why Dravid sent Irafan Phatan on number 3 position. I don't think it is a good tactic.
Mohammed
Hyderabad,India

Indian players did a fantastic job. I hope they will have more practise in batting to win the finals.
Mohanan
Dubai,UAE

Give good chances to Kaif.
Binson
Dubai,UAE