Story India's Journey To World Cup 2011 [Commonwealth Bank Series 2010]

[Aditya]

Really great update. Just one thing. How could Anderson get both Dhoni and Laxman out if Dhoni fell in the next over after Laxman?

Yeah, I actually wanted to say that Anderson got the wicket of Dhoni in his very next over. Cheers for pointing out the mistake. Post edited.

 

[harrisb]

Good update Aditya, however, if the England batsmen can get a good start, it will be hard for India to take the 10 wickets they need to win.

 

[Varun]

503 is a big total, England should rather go for a draw than a win IMO.

 

[Aditya]

India In England
India vs England
Natwest Test Series : 4th Test Match
Played at The Brit Oval

England off to a good start in the chase of 503​

Strauss and Cook have been struggling with form recently. Both the batsman?s have lot of responsibility on their shoulders. Indian skippers, MS Dhoni set an attacking field. As he knew that both the England openers are struggling with form and even one poor shot can cause them their wicket!

Strauss and Cook started off defensively. Both of them knew that they need to take England off to a good start. The pitch was surely favoring bowlers. So, the batsman?s firstly needed to understand the pitch and then they can play their normal innings and that?s what Strauss and Cook did.

Both of them took their time in understanding the pitch but once they felt like settled at the crease they started playing their shots. Especially the captain of England team, Strauss! He started to build pressure on the Indian bowlers. Dhoni saw that both the batsman?s are looking good at the crease so he replaced his 2 opening bowlers, Zaheer and Ishant with Ojha and Harbhajan.

But the change didn?t really work. Strauss continued to smash India bowlers all around the park. Suddenly the man who came to bat under pressure, Strauss, was looking really good at the crease. Soon, Strauss reached to his well made fifty. Not much time was left for the session to end and it was important for England to make sure that they don?t loose any wicket in the session and that?s what happened.

England lost no wickets in this 2nd session of day 4, 4th Npower test match. 31.0 overs in the session were bowled and the umpires decided to take tea. Now, Dhoni will be desperate for a wicket. It?s all about partnerships. If 50-70 more runs are added by this pair then the upcoming England batsman?s will obviously have their confidence high.

England loose 3 wickets in the session, India again favourites to win the match​

Alistair Cook was not able to do anything special after tea as he departed for 46. Ishant Sharma bowled a short delivery on off side, bowl didn?t really got bounce and kept low, Cook thought that he can go for a big shot and smashed the ball on off side but didn?t time it too well and the fielder, Sachin Tendulkar took the catch. Indian team was happy to get a breakthrough soon after tea break.

Next batsman who came to bat after Cook?s dismissal was Ravi Bopara. Bopara?s intentions were to rotate the strike and let the settled batsman, Strauss take most of the strike. Strauss on other hand was being attacking after tea. But just when a partnership started building between Strauss and Bopara, Strauss lost his wicket. Strauss was on front foot as he was trying to go for a big stroke; Ojha saw Strauss on front foot and bowled a quicker delivery. Dhoni collected the ball and stumped Strauss. Strauss went back to the pavilion for a well made 82.

Just to disturb the concentration of Bopara. Ishant was continuously exchanging words with Bopara. Bopara is a calm man so he didn?t reply. Umpire, Billy Bowden had a chat with Ishant and then Ishant had to stop disturbing the concentration of Bopara or else he would have received a warning from umpire.

Pietersen was trying to settle in the middle but Bopara at other end lost his wicket. Bopara tried to defend the ball, Ojha bowled the delivery on middle stump but the ball spun and Bopara got slight edge on the ball and Dhoni took a good catch. Bopara went back to the pavilion for 22.

Now Pietersen and Collingwood were at the crease. Both the batsman?s played in their normal way. Pietersen was smashing bad balls away for boundaries and Collingwood was rotating the strike. Not much time was left for the end of day 4. So, both the batsman?s played safely and made sure that England looses no more wickets on day 4. Now, England need 267 runs to win this test match and the series. They have 7 wickets in hand. So, anything can happen in this test match.

India near to winning the test match and the series....​

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The much anticipated day 5 of 4th Npower test match started. Pietersen and Collingwood were looking good at the crease on day 4. So, the spectators expected something special from this pair. 2 opening bowlers for India on day 5 were Ojha and surprisingly Sehwag. The surprise decision did work and Sehwag managed to take wicket of Collingwood. Collingwood managed to make just 2 runs on day 5 before he was caught behind by Dhoni when he was on 23.

Morgan was the next batsman. Morgan tactics were to be attacking but Morgan got a bit carried away and when he was on 13 he lost his wicket. Sehwag got Morgan?s wicket. Morgan tried to smash the ball on off side, but didn?t time the ball well and got thick edge on the ball. The ball was going away from the wicket keeper, MS Dhoni. But Dhoni did well and managed to hold on to the catch. Morgan went back to the pavilion after making 13 runs off 23 balls.

Pietersen on other hand was playing attackingly. Wickets were falling at other end, but he was not changing his game plan and soon reached to his fifty. After reaching to his fifty, Pietersen was not able to do anything special and went back to the pavilion for 51 off 86 balls. Ojha was not doing anything special. So, Dhoni decided to bring Ishant Sharma into the bowling attack. Ishant in his very first over of the day managed to get crucial wicket of Kevin Pietersen. Ishant bowled a good length delivery, the ball got reverse swing. Pietersen didn?t expected the ball to come in, so he was trying to leave the ball but as the ball came in the ball hit Pietersen pads and Indian team went up for LBW appeal. The umpire, Simon Taufel straight away raised his finger. Pietersen was disappointed but he had to go back to the pavilion after making a good 51 off 86 balls.

Now the 2 batsman at the crease were Matt Prior and Stuart Broad. Broad did the job of supporting Prior and Prior played the way he wanted. Broad managed to play 49 deliveries before he was caught out. Broad tried to break the shekels and tried to go for a big stroke but didn?t time the ball too well and the fielder at mid on; Sachin Tendulkar took a good running back catch. Broad departed for 11 off 49 balls.

Next batsman was Graeme Swann. Swann needed to play 3 deliveries before all the 30 overs were bowled in the session and umpires decided to take lunch. Does England still have a chance to win the match or India has done enough to win the match? We would get the answer when the 2nd session of day 5 starts.

Indian team wins the 4th Npower test match and the Npower test series​

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England had just 3 wickets in hand and they required 180 runs to win. It was obviously not impossible but a tough task. Indian team and England team along with the 2 on field umpires came to field to start the match after lunch.

Swann and Prior both came with the tactic of being attacking and fancy their chances. Swann smashed few boundaries but wasn?t able to do anything special and went back to the pavilion for 13. Ishant Sharma was the bowler, Ishant bowled a good length delivery, Swann was ready to play a big shot but the ball kept low and Swann completely missed the ball and was bowled.

Next batsman who came to bat after Swann was James Anderson. Anderson managed to play 2 deliveries and got out LBW plumb on the 3rd delivery he played. Now, 160 runs were required for England to win and they had just 1 wicket in hand. Last batsman, Onions came to the crease. Prior knew that there is no point in defending. So, he decided to go for some big shots. But didn?t manage to play a big innings and departed for 41. Ishant bowled a short delivery on off stump but the ball again kept low, Prior thought to go for a big stroke but didn?t time the ball too well and smashed the ball back to his stumps.

With Prior?s wicket England team was all out for 351 and India won the match and the Npower test series by 151 runs.

Indian team celebrated after winning the 4th Npower test match and Npower test series​

Coming Up Next : Post match presentation with Michael Atherton​

 

[AkshayS]

This opening session has gone horribly wrong for us till now, Cook and Strauss have started up really well, they batted really beautifully. India need to come strong in second session to control the match.

 

[Aditya]

India In England
India vs England
Npower Test Series : 4th Test Match
Played at The Brit Oval

England loose 3 wickets in the session, India again favourites to win the match​

Alistair Cook was not able to do anything special after tea as he departed for 46. Ishant Sharma bowled a short delivery on off side, bowl didn’t really got bounce and kept low, Cook thought that he can go for a big shot and smashed the ball on off side but didn’t time it too well and the fielder, Sachin Tendulkar took the catch. Indian team was happy to get a breakthrough soon after tea break.

Next batsman who came to bat after Cook’s dismissal was Ravi Bopara. Bopara’s intentions were to rotate the strike and let the settled batsman, Strauss take most of the strike. Strauss on other hand was being attacking after tea. But just when a partnership started building between Strauss and Bopara, Strauss lost his wicket. Strauss was on front foot as he was trying to go for a big stroke; Ojha saw Strauss on front foot and bowled a quicker delivery. Dhoni collected the ball and stumped Strauss. Strauss went back to the pavilion for a well made 82.

Just to disturb the concentration of Bopara. Ishant was continuously exchanging words with Bopara. Bopara is a calm man so he didn’t reply. Umpire, Billy Bowden had a chat with Ishant and then Ishant had to stop disturbing the concentration of Bopara or else he would have received a warning from umpire.

Pietersen was trying to settle in the middle but Bopara at other end lost his wicket. Bopara tried to defend the ball, Ojha bowled the delivery on middle stump but the ball spun and Bopara got slight edge on the ball and Dhoni took a good catch. Bopara went back to the pavilion for 22.

Now Pietersen and Collingwood were at the crease. Both the batsman’s played in their normal way. Pietersen was smashing bad balls away for boundaries and Collingwood was rotating the strike. Not much time was left for the end of day 4. So, both the batsman’s played safely and made sure that England looses no more wickets on day 4. Now, England need 267 runs to win this test match and the series. They have 7 wickets in hand. So, anything can happen in this test match.


ENG : 235/3
K. PIETERSEN : 33(45)
P. COLLINGWOOD 21(33)
Last Wicket : R. BOPARA 22(57)
ENG NEED 267 RUNS TO WIN
4th Npower Test Match, Day 4, 3rd Session

 

[Gaurav_7]

Can you please include the day? I'm sometimes wondering as to what is going on. I actually didn't read the update. It seems England are making a match out of this if still a day is remaining. Century for KP!

 

[Aditya]

Can you please include the day? I'm sometimes wondering as to what is going on. I actually didn't read the update. It seems England are making a match out of this if still a day is remaining. Century for KP!

Yeah, I always seem to miss it. I have added the test match, day and session now.

 

[surendar]

Actually, the target is very close now which can be well within reach if England play with master tactics. I don't want to see another Indian bowling disappointments even in test matches.

 

[Aditya]

India In England
India vs England
Npower Test Series : 4th Test Match
Played at The Brit Oval

India near to winning the test match and the series....​

​

​

The much anticipated day 5 of 4th Npower test match started. Pietersen and Collingwood were looking good at the crease on day 4. So, the spectators expected something special from this pair. 2 opening bowlers for India on day 5 were Ojha and surprisingly Sehwag. The surprise decision did work and Sehwag managed to take wicket of Collingwood. Collingwood managed to make just 2 runs on day 5 before he was caught behind by Dhoni when he was on 23.

Morgan was the next batsman. Morgan tactics were to be attacking but Morgan got a bit carried away and when he was on 13 he lost his wicket. Sehwag got Morgan’s wicket. Morgan tried to smash the ball on off side, but didn’t time the ball well and got thick edge on the ball. The ball was going away from the wicket keeper, MS Dhoni. But Dhoni did well and managed to hold on to the catch. Morgan went back to the pavilion after making 13 runs off 23 balls.

Pietersen on other hand was playing attackingly. Wickets were falling at other end, but he was not changing his game plan and soon reached to his fifty. After reaching to his fifty, Pietersen was not able to do anything special and went back to the pavilion for 51 off 86 balls. Ojha was not doing anything special. So, Dhoni decided to bring Ishant Sharma into the bowling attack. Ishant in his very first over of the day managed to get crucial wicket of Kevin Pietersen. Ishant bowled a good length delivery, the ball got reverse swing. Pietersen didn’t expected the ball to come in, so he was trying to leave the ball but as the ball came in the ball hit Pietersen pads and Indian team went up for LBW appeal. The umpire, Simon Taufel straight away raised his finger. Pietersen was disappointed but he had to go back to the pavilion after making a good 51 off 86 balls.

Now the 2 batsman at the crease were Matt Prior and Stuart Broad. Broad did the job of supporting Prior and Prior played the way he wanted. Broad managed to play 49 deliveries before he was caught out. Broad tried to break the shekels and tried to go for a big stroke but didn’t time the ball too well and the fielder at mid on; Sachin Tendulkar took a good running back catch. Broad departed for 11 off 49 balls.

Next batsman was Graeme Swann. Swann needed to play 3 deliveries before all the 30 overs were bowled in the session and umpires decided to take lunch. Does England still have a chance to win the match or India has done enough to win the match? We would get the answer when the 2nd session of day 5 starts.

ENG : 322/7
M. PRIOR : 30(61)
G. SWANN : 1(3)
Last Wicket : S.BROAD 11(49)
ENGLAND need 180 runs to win the test match and Npower test series
4th Npower test match, Day 5, 1st session

 

[Varun]

Swann and Prior can still prove dangerous, but the real challenge is to chase 180 in just two sessions?

 

[AbhishekS]

ENGLAND need 180 runs to win the test match and Npower test match

Npower test series?

 

[Aditya]

Swann and Prior can still prove dangerous, but the real challenge is to chase 180 in just two sessions?

Yeah, just 2 sessions are left.

Npower test series?

Cheers for pointing out the mistake. I have corrected it now.

 

[hedger_14]

just 2 sessions??

That's only like 3 an over.

 

[gutterman]

ive just been reading this. a truly great story. England are on the back foot here but their tail can wag. i reckon it will be a close one in the end.
great writing, superb presentation kutgw