Story England International Season - September 8th, 2007 - India in England

[King Pietersen]

This is a cracking story, I remember I was doing an England vs West Indies story at the same time you started this, so the fact you're still going with it is awesome. I'd have been seriously bored of writing updates for a 2007 story by now. I guess you have far better attention span levels

 

[treva]

England on top despite Dravid resistance

England vs India
3rd Natwest ODI
August 27, 2007
Edgbaston, Birmingham

The Indian batsmen came out alongside the England bowlers after a rain break that had cut India's innings down to 30 overs. Needing 197 to win, it was going to need a superb effort on a damp wicket at Edgbaston, a needed run rate of 6.57. Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad took the new ball, but they soon found themselves under pressure as Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly managed to find the boundary on several occasions. The pick of the bunch were a superb cut shot by Ganguly off Broad, and Tendulkar split the infield with a fine cover drive.

With the score on 30/0 disaster struck for India. Within the space of one run they lost all of their top three batsmen. First to go was Sachin Tendulkar. Broad had bowled fairly wayward up until he found the perfect 'top of off' length. Tendulkar thought the ball had pitched a lot shorter and tried to work the ball down to fine leg, only to miss it past the outside edge before it cannoned onto the off stump.

In the next over the second of the two openers departed. Sidebottom had found some swing from the overcast conditions and was looking the more dangerous of the two bowlers. Ganguly was looking to push the run rate along and tried to go after a full ball by Sidebottom. The ball swung just enough to go through the huge gap between bat and pad and smash into Ganguly's leg stump.

Rohit Sharma came to the crease on the back of a score of 20 from 50 balls in the previous ODI. He lasted just five balls before he was sent back to the pavilion with just one run to his name. A short ball from Stuart Broad never really got up to the height Sharma had been expecting and it struck him in front of the stumps on his back pad. Billy Doctrove had no hesitation in raising his finger after a big appeal from the England team. India had gone from 30/0 to 31/3 in the space of a few overs and were now strongly on the back foot.

This left Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh to pick up the pieces but they found it difficult to score. Dravid faced the main of the strike whilst Yuvraj either played and missed or nurdled it for a single. The pair had put on 29 before they lost their fourth wicket. Of the 29 Yuvraj had only got 6 on the board and the accuracy of Paul Collingwood proved to be his downfall. The England captain brought himself on in ideal conditions, and immediately struck with the wicket of Yuvraj. A straight ball swung away from the left hander and hit the off stump just half way up. India in huge trouble at 60/4.

Yuvraj's wicket brought Dhoni to the crease knowing he needed to create a partnership with his captain. After a steady few overs both Dhoni and Dravid decided to open up their shoulders and start to boost the ever rising run rate.

The England bowlers had no answer for the powerful hitting by Dravid and Dhoni. Dhoni was the man who took it to the England bowlers the most, cracking two fours and three huge sixes over long off, long on and midwicket. After Dhoni's second six a short delay in play occurred after the ball had disappeared over the stands and out of the ground. Dravid also smashed a big six straight down the ground, and with the partnership growing England were starting to be pushed onto the back foot.

On the stroke of 20 overs England got their man. Dhoni had blasted his way to 30 from 22 balls, but his 23rd saw his stumps being rocked by Paul Collingwood. Dhoni gave himself room outside the leg stump looking to go over the off side. Collingwood spotted the shuffle and bowled it full and straight and knocking the middle stump back a few centimetres. With that wicket the England captain had put his side back on top, India now down to their bowlers needing a further 83 runs from 10 overs.

D/L Target at the end of 20 overs: 129 with 5 wickets down (15 runs behind)​

 

[saladguy]

India seem to be in trouble, yet not out of it. Dravid seems to be India's key man. Great presentation Trev, keep it up

 

[Pakistani Army]

Well its not looking to good for the Indians. I dunno why they sent Harbhajan before Pathan at this stage. The key is the wall Dravid. If he can get a minimum of a boundary off each over with Harbhajan getting the odd occasional boundary then the Indians have a chance of getting close to the target.

Fantastic write-up and especially the graphics. Keep it up! :hpraise

 

[Jaztheman]

Graphics and writing is awesome, Jack. Brilliant stuff.

It's quite a close match at the moment and Dravid is a key man in this match. If he can play to the teams innings and instead of his usual slow innings then they have a chance. England need to get their man to record a simple victory.

 

[mattfb]

It's a close match, but Dhoni was the key man and now that you have got him I think England should win. Dravid is still in which is a worry but if he can get as little strike as possible then it will be touch for India to get 83 off the last 10 on the damp pitch. I'll have to say an England win from here.

Great stuff mate, awesome gfx and writing!

 

[surendar]

Trev.. with this.. I am tempted to re install C04 but, no wait.. I will stick with 05 Wonderful going with the match..

 

[treva]

England destroy tail to win comfortably

England vs India
3rd Natwest ODI
August 27, 2007
Edgbaston, Birmingham

With India now six down they needed a big score from their captain Rahul Dravid, currently on 42. He started the last 10 overs with a superb lofted straight drive, bouncing just a few times before smashing into the advertising boards. This was to be his last scoring stroke of the game as he soon departed, another victim of Collingwood's tight bowling. A straight ball swung away from the right hander, and Dravid, who had thrown the kitchen sink at it, was bowled middle stump.

With India in deep trouble they could only rely on their bowlers to bring home an unlikely victory. Singh and Pathan were now at the crease, but the two of them didn't last long. First to go was Irfan Pathan. Trying to go over the top Pathan could only hit the ball at the top of the bat, the ball looping up and giving a simple catch to Ryan Sidebottom at mid-off and a first wicket for Andrew Flintoff.

Harbhajan Singh went next, completely missing a back of a length delivery from Collingwood, who claimed his fourth wicket. The 9th wicket fell to Monty Panesar, who had only been called upon late in the innings. He found a little bit of turn off the damp Edgbaston wicket, and struck Zaheer Khan plump in front.

The final wicket fell with 7 balls remaining. The number 11 batsmen RP Singh missed a straight yorker from Dimitri Mascarenhas, finishing off the innings with his first wicket to give England a comfortable victory.

England 235/8 beat India 148 by 48 runs (D/L Method)​

 

[saladguy]

Extremely good win for England. Paul Collingwood sort of won us the match. Keep it up Trev, brilliant story

 

[Roofrom50]

Good bowling from Collingwood and Broad saw the England victory. It was either poor batting or exellent bowling as India struggled apart from Dhoni and Dravid of course

 

[treva]

August 27th, 2007

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Printable version

England v India 3rd ODI

Third ODI, Edgbaston:
England 235/8 beat India 148 by 48 runs (D/L Method)

By Pranav Soneji
__________________________________________________

It was left to Kevin Pietersen and Owais Shah to keep the score ticking, but Shah (14) was
given out lbw to Yuvraj Singh.

Pietersen, in the meantime, had moved onto and past the fifty mark, cracking some fine shots
over the infield. Collingwood had stuck with Pietersen, knocking the ball into the gaps for ones
and twos, but after facing 40 balls for 28 runs he edged behind to MS Dhoni to the young leg
spinner Piyush Chawla.

Andrew Flintoff (11) came in and looked good before he played inside a delivery from Yuvraj Singh
as it cracked into his off stump.

The Duckworth-Lewis method calculated a target of 197 to win, leaving India needing a run rate
of 6.57 per over.

The Indian openers Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar started positively with some crisp
boundaries, but they both fell for 15, Ganguly bowled by Ryan Sidebottom and Tendulkar bowled
by Stuart Broad.

 

[Will_NA]

Just spotted this story. Very good graphics especially the BBC Report.

 

[saladguy]

Excellent match report Trev, very realistic

 

[Jaztheman]

Great victory for England as they got their last few wickets in the style they needed to. That BBC report is awesome, Jack, including the little widgets such as the interview by Collingwood and the 606: Debate. Lots of effort definitely put in for that update.

Very good writing and graphics here, Jack. The presentation is awesome.

 

[mattfb]

England took the vital wicket of Dravid early enough before he caused to much damage, then cleaned up the tail and deserve the win. The BBC lay out thing is fantastic, it looks superb and I can tell you put a lot of hard work into it, just like everything else in this story!

Great work mate, awesome writing and presentation. kiu!