Legends of Sports

Not even India's first 300-plus total in 14 attempts against England could prove sufficient to win their first international fixture of a greatly one-sided tour, as the 21-year-old Yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow marked his international debut with a nerveless display of power-hitting under the floodlights at Cardiff. Chasing a revised target of 241 in 34 overs after a chain of D/L method, Bairstow battered an extraordinary 41 from 21 balls, as England eased home with 10 balls to spare.

In a gasping show, Bairstow struck the fifth ball of his international career for six over midwicket, and added two more and a four for good measure, as England marched up the mountain to complete their third victory of the series and their eighth in ten international matches against India this summer. The end stole the thunder from Virat Kohli's excellent 107 from 93, and also overshadowed the final ODI match of Rahul Dravid's 344-match career.

He signed off with 69 from 79 balls, and a handshake from every England player, but as had been the case all summer, he was incapable to stop a team on the rampage. Such a dramatic turn of events had seemed unlikely at the halfway mark of the day, which was reached in the middle of similar sparkler, as India's captain, MS Dhoni, slammed an even 50 from 26 balls to haul his team to an impressive total of 304 for 6.







Sports Goods

More Cricket News

He may not have started out as a natural limited-over cricketer, but Rahul Dravid will end his career in coloured clothing as one of the most successful and adaptable performers of all time. Speaking ahead of his final ODI, Dravid said: “People might have said at some stage that I will have a successful Test career, but not many people would have said that I’ll play that many one-dayers at the start of my career. I wouldn’t have said that about myself.” Excerpts.

Batting Records:


It does not feel like it’s the end since I will be playing Test cricket. Obviously I won’t be playing any more one-day cricket, which I thought I would not be playing two years ago. Nothing is really going to change for me against what I have been doing in the last two-and-a-half years when I was just playing Test cricket. At first I found it a bit hard adjusting, with the big gaps between Test series.

It used to become a little difficult to get straight into Test matches particularly since there are not a lot of side games on tours at the present time. Reaching the 2003 World Cup final. Also watching India win the World Cup this year was very satisfying for me as I had played with so many of the players. Watching Kapil Dev lift the 1983 World Cup was a enormous inspiration for me as a 10-year-old. The 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, where we did not qualify for the Super Eights. We had a team that could have done better than we did. But that is life, you move on.

Captaincy Records:


Athletic Accessories

More Cricket News

India 280 for 5 (Raina 84, Dhoni 78*) tied with England 270 for 8 in 48.5 overs (Bopara 96, Bell 54) (D/L method)

England has a NatWest Series win to celebrate but a significant injury update to await too, before they travel to Cardiff for their final one-day international of the summer. Stuart Broad's condition, after hurting his triceps in the final over of India's 280 for five at Lord's yesterday, may yet turn out to be the most important aspect of a match which will be remembered also as the second tie in the space of six months between the two teams.

Broad would have been ready to bat through the pain had he been required in a contest which ended with England on 270 for eight - exactly par on the Duckworth-Lewis system - instantly after Ravi Bopara was last out for a career-best 96.Bopara and Cook admitted to mixed feelings afterwards, at failing to close out success yet still in the knowledge England are 2-0 up with only one to play.

England, already minus Broad's Twenty20 deputy Eoin Morgan because of imminent shoulder surgery, are set to name their squad on Wednesday to face the West Indies in two matches at The Oval at the end of this month. It is possible that Cook, who established his prowess in a rain-shortened victory over India at the Rose Bowl last week, may yet be in the frame to replace Broad himself.

Agility Training

More Sports News

It's one down, in the India-England ODI series. Having lost the Southampton match by seven-wickets after the series opener at Chester-le-Street got rained out, the Indians are under tremendous pressure to make a mark in the competition. It's now almost crucial that India win the third ODI on Friday, a day-night affair at The Oval. Else, this series will also slip out of their grasp.

Alastair Cook scored an unbeaten 80 as England stormed to a seven-wicket win over India in a rain-hit second one-dayer at the Rose Bowl. After the opening match was washed out Saturday, rain delayed the start by about five hours here Tuesday before dropping it to 23 overs per side. The win has given England a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.

Put in under cold conditions, India scored 187 for 8, Ajinkya Rahane (54) scoring his maiden half century and Suresh Raina, smashing three sixes during a quick fire 19-ball 40. But opener Craig Kieswetter (46) ripped apart an ineffectual Indian attack, hitting three sixes in his 25-ball knock, and along with Cook, who smacked five fours and a six, powered England to victory with five balls to spare.

Rahane made most of his role as an opener and with Rahul Dravid (32) shared a 79-run partnership. Raina's knock towards the end propelled the visitors to a difficult total. In fact, he was on course of scoring the fastest Indian ODI fifty but top edged Bresnan to Ben Stokes at deep square-leg.

Relay Batons

More Sports News

Badrinath was named as replacement for Sachin Tendulkar who has been ruled out of India's ODI series against England due to a toe injury. Tendulkar was carrying the injury for quite a while but the trouble aggravated just before the opening match of the series at Chester-le-Street on Saturday, finally paving the way for Parthiv Patel`s last-minute inclusion to the playing eleven.

"Sachin Tendulkar has been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against England due to a toe injury. He has been advised rest for four weeks. The All-India Senior Selection Committee has chosen S Badrinath to replace him," BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said. Badrinath, who made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in 2008, has scored 79 runs in seven one-dayers so far.

The Tamil Nadu batsman was also in the squad for India`s tour of West Indies earlier this year, but failed to impress. It has been a disastrous tour for India as many leading players, including Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Yuvraj Singh have suffered main injuries at various stages.

Starting Blocks

More Sports News

India has called up batsman Manoj Tiwary to replace the injured Rohit Sharma for the rest of the one-day international series against England. Sharma was ruled out of the series when he fractured his finger during Saturday's opening match.

Sachin Tendulkar, who missed that game, is also doubtful for the second ODI at the Rose Bowl because of a worrying toe injury. India has already seen six players fly home from the tour through injury. Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Ishant Sharma and Harbhajan Singh have already returned home this summer.

Tiwary, 25, has been rewarded for his excellent form in Australia, where he scored 188 in a three-day match against New Zealand A and 59 against Australia Institute of Sport in the emerging players' contest. He made his ODI debut against Australia in February 2008, but had to wait more than three years for his next appearance, against the West Indies in June this year.

Discus

More Sports News

The scars of a defeat in the Tests might linger but the redemptive strength that sprung forth through victories over Sussex, Kent and Leicestershire might help India as the team gears up for the single NatWest Twenty20 match against England at the Old Trafford here on Wednesday night. India can take heart from that and in its young bunch that has had highest exposure to Twenty20.

The spectre of injury that has overwhelmed the team and required the early departure of Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, is a clear and present danger. Rahul Dravid should be making his international Twenty20 debut. Parthiv Patel will open the innings probably with Ajinkya Rahane and the middle-order will bank on India's go-to man in this tour – Dravid – and on the trio of Raina, Kohli and Rohit Sharma with Dhoni being the floater.

On the bowling front, it is a matter of conjecture whether the Indian skipper will opt for a 3-1 pace-spin ratio or field both R. Ashwin and Amit Mishra. Vinay Kumar had impressed at Leicester with his variations in pace while Varun Aaron was a pack of nerves and needed a steady touch from Raina and Praveen Kumar.

Teams:

India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Parthiv Patel, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Varun Aaron, Vinay Kumar, R.P. Singh, Amit Mishra, R. Ashwin and Gautam Gambhir.

England: Stuart Broad (captain), Alex Hales, Craig Kieswetter, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes, Ravi Bopara, Jos Butler, Tim Bresnan, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Samit Patel and Graeme Swann.

Shotput

More Sports News