India vs England, Tri-Nation ODI Series Highlights: England Knock India Out, Enter Final
Defending 200, Stuart Binny claimed three for 33 but James Taylor and Jos Buttler hit fifties to help England to a three-wicket win. The team will play Australia for the title. India on the other hand, have not had even a single win in Australia ahead of World Cup.
In a low-scoring thriller, England stumble to a three-wicket win against India despite a moderate target of 201. With the result, India wrap a tour to Australia which has seen them without a single win. England, however will play Australia for the title. (Scorecard | Highlights | Standings)
* India's campaign in Australia - ahead of the World Cup ends without a single win. The only question now is how can this team bounce back to make an impact? The slogan doing the rounds is 'Won't give it back,' referring to the trophy. Will anybody even bother to ask?
* Concerned fans have been writing on myvoice@ndtv.com. Here's what Amit Ambiye feels: As always, superb performance of Team India. Considering this marvelous performance the title of " We won't give it back" suits us very aptly. The only difference being not our World cup title but title of losers and chokers.
16.30 (IST):It's all over! Broad knocks the ball for the singles and that's all England needed.
16.17 (IST): OUT! Buttler falls and is there still something left for India in this match. England seven men down, need seven more.
16.09 (IST): OUT! Taylor looks to go over the boundary on the leg side but finds Binny there. England need 10 off 40.
16.00 (IST): The match is slipping away from India's grasp with Taylor getting a couple of boundaries off the slower bowlers. England now need 28 off 54.
15.50 (IST): Dhoni choosing to keep Binny till the very end but it may be a bit to late in the match. Buttler has already smashed Mohit for two fours to complete his sixth ODI fifty.
15.42 (IST):Did you know? When Taylor made his Test debut - against South Africa in 2012, Kevin Pietersen had reportedly told then coach Andy Flower that he was against the selection. At 5 foot 6, Taylor was not considered able to enough to play tall pacers. Pietersen must be biting his tongue today.
15.35 (IST): Final batting powerplay comes into effect after the 35th over. This is the best time for England to take complete control of the match.
© AP
15.18 (IST): Taylor brings up his fourth fifty off 85 balls and it just looks like the advantage is swinging back in England's favour.
15.00 (IST): Jos Buttler has quickly stitched 22 off 25 balls to provide support to Taylor (39) at the other end. The two have not attempted anything fancy even as Indian bowlers continue to persevere.
14.47 (IST): Binny has claimed three for 33 in his eight overs. Dhoni opting to take him off the attack and keep him for later. Shami replaces him.
14.38 (IST): OUT! Binny on fire as Bopara tries to cut him, only to find the fielder a point.
© AP
14.28 (IST): OUT! Captain Morgan falls and Binny now has two wickets. Gavaskar is ecstatic. "Like father, like son," he says. "At least in this match," he adds, referring to former cricketer and Stuart's father Roger Binny.
14.09 (IST): OUT! Game on as Joe Root (3) is caught and bowled by Binny. England 44/3 with captain Eoin Morgan making his way to the middle.
14.00 (IST): OUT! Moeen Ali decides to loft Axar but fails to get the power behind it. He falls for 17, England 40/2.
13.30 (IST): Indian bowlers seem to have a tight grip on the England batsmen - Moeen and James Taylor. The variable pace is troubling both.
13.22 (IST): After Mohit and Binny open the bowling, Dhoni brings in Shami as the first-change bowler.
13.17 (IST): OUT! Mohit Sharma strikes early. The ball kept rather law and hit a surprised Ian Bell on his legs. He scored 10.
Looks good this guy M.Sharma Eng 1-14 at the @waca_cricket @CricketAus
- Brett Lee (@BrettLee_58) January 30, 2015
© AFP
13.03 (IST): Time for England's reply. Moeen Ali has been promoted and he will partner Ian Bell.
12.40 (IST): Ganguly also says it is imperative for Indians to be mentally fresh for the World Cup. "I don't care about the warm-up matches. But when they come out on 15th against Pakistan, they should be ready to give it their all," he says. (Complete World Cup coverage)
12.32 (IST): Former India captain Ganguly is quite furious with India's batting performance today, especially with Jadeja's shot-selection. "This was never a 300-run pitch," he says. "But 225, 230 would have been good too but it did not happen. It's not great to see." (Read in full here)
12.28 (IST): OUT! Shami edges and that's the end of the Indian innings. England need 201 to win the match and book a place in the final against Australia.
12.24 (IST): Shami is now on 25. This is the second-highest ODI score from an Indian No. 11.
12.22 (IST): Shami has now scored more runs in this match than Kohli, Binny and Jadeja combined. He is on 24 with two overs left in the innings. India 199/9.
12.18 (IST): Fireworks from Indians at last! Mohammad Shami is taking on England and has smashed his ways to a few boundaries. And most have been proper cricketing shots. India close in on 200-run mark.
12.15 (IST): Most Indian fans are quite appalled by the manner in which their team has played Down Under. Here's what some are telling NDTV on Twitter.
@rahulbansal372 writes: better to forget world cup dreams. All hopes shattered ...pathetic show by Indian batsmen.
@mudifer writes: over magnified #cricket stars continue to humiliate #India overseas.
@hskurup feels time is right to sit back rather than play bad cricket. He writes: Seriously? We might as well have withdrawn from the tournament and taken rest......
Let us know what you feel by tweeting with @cricketndtv or write to us at myvoice@ndtv.com.12.05 (IST): OUT! Axar Patel could have hardly made an impact when his seniors surrendered their wickets. Nonetheless, his wickets comes as another jolt to fans here.
12.00 (IST): OUT! Jadeja falls to a horrible shot. Just after losing Dhoni at the other end, he decides that stepping out to Broad is the finest idea. Instead, reality hits him hard as he is caught for 5 by Finn.
© AP
11.58 (IST): OUT! Dhoni is unable to take India out of murky waters and is trapped LBW by Anderson for 17.
11.53 (IST): Jadeja looking to give support to his captain. To expect much from him would be a bit too harsh considering he last batted in an ODI on November 6, last year. He was part of the playing XI against Australia in the ongoing ODI series but did not get to bat as the match was washed out.
© AP
11.45 (IST): Even captain Dhoni is clearly tentative against this English attack and gets a lineline early into his innings. He edges but Bell spills an extremely difficult chance.
11.41 (IST): OUT! Binny is the next man as he edges Finn and a diving Ian Bell completes a fantastic catch in the slips.
11.32 (IST): Can MS Dhoni and Stuart Binny now combine to stage what looks like an improbable rescue act?
11.30 (IST): OUT! Rahane was the only hope till now but he falls as well. Despite a gritty 73, he fails to negotiate Steven Finn and becomes England's fifth success of the day.
11.19 (IST): OUT! Broad gets his first of the day as he finds the outer edge of Rayudu's bat. The batsman has to make the long walk back after scoring 10.
11.12 (IST): Rahane has now moved to 71 with Rayudu batting on 10. India 131/3, 33 overs.
11.04 (IST): Noted cricketer commentator Alan Wilkins feels it is a time for stability, not adventure, for Indians. The question is how will Rahane take his innings forward from here? Although he has batted well so far, there have been instances when he has either stepped out or swung wildly without anything coming off them.
10.58 (IST): Did someone say India play spinners well? Did a few others say WACA track is a paradise for pacers? Meet Mooen Ali - the spinner who breaks away from traditional beliefs.
MoeenAliTharan...
- Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 30, 2015
© AP
10.54 (IST): OUT! Raina (1) falls as Moeen claims his second. India on the cusp of giving away early advantage. A batting implosion on the cards? Ambati Rayudu is up next.
10.46 (IST): OUT! Kohli (8) hits Moeen down the ground but finds Joe Root at the ropes. So, No. 3 has not worked for the India vice-captain either. India 103/2.
10.34 (IST): Fifty for Rahane! This is the eight ODI fifty for the batsman and it has been a confident knock.
© AFP
10.25 (IST): Meanwhile, Virat Kohli comes out at No. 3- his favourite batting position. So much for all the debates! He has 16 runs from his three innings - lower than Moeen Ali's batting this series. Can today be the start of his return to form?
10.22 (IST): Gavaskar impressed with Dhawan's knock! "He looked in good touch and was middling the ball well. His 38 is a good sign for Team India ahead of the World Cup," he says. Dravid echoes the thought. "Dhawan wpuld be personally disappointed not having scored bigger after his start. But this is a good sign. India should give him as many chances as possible, considering Rohit's injury," he says.
10.20 (IST): OUT! Dhawan (38) edges and is caught behind. Woakes brought back into the attack and he gets the breakthrough for his side.
10.15 (IST): If Dhawan manages to continue this way, he may well silence his critics. Ian Chapppell had previously said India must replace him with Stuart Binny while Sunil Gavaskar had suggested playing Ravichandran Ashwin. Former India batsman Rahul Dravid though had shown faith in the Delhi batsman. (Read: Three experts, three opinions in the Shikhar Dhawan debate)
So at last India have a start. Another day they may not have but must make the most of it.
- Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 30, 2015
10.07 (IST): England bring on Moeen Ali's spin in an attempt to break India's opening stand. The bowler has claimed 37 wickets in ODIs of which, 23 have come against India.
09.57 (IST): This (64) is the best ODI opening partnership for India at WACA. The previous best of 63 was between Ravi Shastri and Kris Srikkanth - against England in 1992.
09.50 (IST): Dhawan slowly but steadily looking like his confident best. His feet movement is looking good and the eye-bat coordination has been decent so far. A steady Rahane at the other end has also helped.
© AFP
09.35 (IST): The brilliance of James Anderson and Steven Finn has masked Stuart Broad's lack of wickets in the recent past. Rahane and Dhawan need to take him on and here's why:
Stuart Broad STAT ALERT! 2006-2010: avg 25.7, ER 5.15, SR 29.9, 10 x 4wkt games 2011-present: avg 39.2, ER 5.44, SR 43.1, 1 x 4wkt game
- Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) January 30, 2015
09.32 (IST): Meanwhile, Australia's Shane Watson is working extra hard ahead of the final on Sunday.
Shane Watson doing extras after training pic.twitter.com/Ah4wXmr8WG
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 30, 2015
09.30 (IST): Stuart Broad replaces Woakes and he is welcomed with a cut shot for four from Rahane's blade. The batsman has surely looked to change gears but this is not the first time he has had a start. Can he build on it? India 34/0 from first 10.
0922 (IST): Rahane looks to take on Anderson and has tried to go over the top. While the two openers have done well to see off the first few overs, Rahane has failed to get his timings right in his flighted attempts.
09.12 (IST): Dhawan cuts Woakes and gets a boundary for it. That was a supremely confident shot with a little width on offer. Dhawan got on top of it to dispatch it. Such has been his otherwise woeful form Down Under that the Indian contingent in the stand gives him a loud applause.
09.10 (IST): India openers Dhawan and Rahane understandably watchful early on. James Anderson and Chris Woakes are looking to make full use of the track here.
09.00 (IST): The Perth wicket is showing early signs of typical "tennis ball bounce." Eoin Morgan could add further pressure on Dhawan with a gully in place?
Where's the 'gully'? With so much bounce and lateral movement on offer Morgan can surely have one there...
- Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 30, 2015
08.58 (IST): Dhawan looks a bit desperate to shrug off early nerves. He gets a delivery from Chris Woakes at cutting length and he obliges, playing it behind point to get off the mark. Two runs taken off Woakes. India 3/0 (2 overs)
08.52 (IST): Excellent first over from James Anderson. Ajinkya Rahane is patient enough to just take a single off it. India 1/0 (1 over)
© AP
08.46 (IST): The entire focus, however, will now be on Shikhar Dhawan. The left-handed opener is going through a lean patch and has divided opinion among experts on whether he should play or make way for a better top-order option.
08.45 (IST): Harsha Bhogle makes a valid point regarding India's bowling line-up today.
It is a worry if Mohit Sharma and Stuart Binny are two of three seamers playing in what might be the last big game before the World Cup.
- Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 30, 2015
08.31 (IST): England win toss, opt to bowl vs India. Ishant Sharma makes way for Mohit Sharma. Rohit Sharma still out injured.
08.05 (IST): The English team are out practicing at the WACA. A massive knockout game coming up today.
England warm-up at the WACA #EngvInd #triseries #CWC15 https://t.co/gOe7avJcl8
- England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 30, 2015
© AFP
World champions India have had a horrid time Down Under. After losing the Test series, the side has not had a single win in the ODIs so far. While wins have eluded them, form too is playing hide and seek with many of the players. A win against England then, may do more than just propel the team to the final. It can lift morale, fix drooping shoulders and give a base from where the team can pick up its plans for the World Cup next month.(Dhoni Hints Kohli May Have to 'Sacrifice' No. 3 Position)
It won't be easy though.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan has been in woeful form. He has scored 11 from his three ODIs Down Under, forcing many to call him a flat-track bully. The Delhi batsman though has retained his opening slot, which cannot be said about his Ranji teammate and India vice-captain.(Rohit Undergoes Fitness Test)
Virat Kohli's batting position has been the biggest debate for the side. At ease batting at No. 3, the batsman has been coming out at No. 4 instead and has been almost as rickety as Dhawan. Kohli has managed an embarrassing 16 from his three innings in the tri-nation ODI series. With Dhoni making it clear that the team's interest comes before individual preferences for particular batting numbers, Kohli is unlikely to get his favourite spot back any time soon. After scoring just four in the previous match against England, Kohli should be ready with a new excuse if he fails once again.(Dhoni Aiming for 'Best XI')
The bowling - while it has not been as poor as the batting - has hardly been impressive either. The pace battery is in need of a jump start with even former India pacer Javagal Srinath stressing on it.(How Long Will India Experiment?)
In complete contrast, Steven Finn and James Anderson have led England ably in the ongoing series. Finn claimed five wickets in the previous match against India when England bullied their way to a nine-wicket win. Anderson too had four wickets in the same match. Perth, the venue for Friday's match, will once again provide ideal bouncy conditions to the two to mock India's batting line-up.(The Dhawna Dilemma)
Interesting stats from Perth:
India have won four and lost five ODIs at Perth.
England have won nine and lost four ODIs here.
Virat Kohli's 77 is the highest individual ODI score by an Indian here.
India's last ODI win here came against Sri Lanka in February, 2012. The team won by four wickets.
As for England's batting, Eoin Morgan is a name enough to make the English feel confident. The captain has been in good form and is determined to win against India so that the momentum can be taken into the World Cup.
While the two teams may be at different ends of the ICC ODI team rankings but England would definitely go in as firm favourites.
(All stats by Rajesh Kumar)