England win final ODI to ruin Rahul Dravid's swansong
- Published
Fifth one-day international, Cardiff: |
England 241-4 (32.2 overs) beat India 304-4 (50 overs) by six wickets (D/L methord) |
Debutant Jonny Bairstow ruined Rahul Dravid's final one-day international as England chased a reduced target of 241 to wrap up a 3-0 series win over India.
Bairstow smashed three sixes in his 21-ball 41, while Ravi Bopara chipped in with 37 as England won by six wickets.
Earlier, Dravid had amassed 69, his 83rd one-day half century, in a 170-run partnership with Virat Kohli (107).
Graeme Swann dismissed both Dravid and Kohli in his 3-34 but Mahendra Dhoni's 50 off 26 balls lifted India to 304-6.
England's target was initially reduced to 270 off 40 overs and opener Craig Kieswetter raced to 21 but he was adjudged leg before to Vinay Kumar before more rain reduced the chase to 241 off 34 overs.
Cook, who was moving along at a run a ball, reached his half century with a delightful reverse sweep, before being inexplicably dropped by Dravid at short fine leg.
However, the skipper fell next delivery, deceived by a slower straight ball from Kohli, to leave England 106-2.
Jonathan Trott, who had earlier hit his first one-day international six off Munaf Patel, registered his second off Ravindra Jadeja while Ian Bell also clouted two maximums as they took 21 off one over from the slow left-arm bowler.
But Bell was eventually caught on the long-off boundary, ending his quickfire 26 and the 54-run partnership, and 160-3 became 166-4 as Trott miscued an attempted cut off Jadeja to RP Singh at point to depart for 63.
That brought Bairstow to the crease and the young Yorkshireman hit his fifth ball in international cricket for six and belted another into the River Taff as he and Bopara turned the game on its head.
England needed 75 off 50 deliveries when the duo came together, but their clean hitting saw England home with six wickets and 10 balls to spare.
The result was a harsh end to Dravid's one-day career, which has spanned 344 games and seen him score 10,889 runs at an average of 39.16.
The right-hander was given a tremendous reception when he walked out to the crease at 52-1 after Ajinkya Rahane, who had earlier been dropped by Samit Patel at third man, was caught in the same position by Steven Finn for 26.
Swann then removed Parthiv Patel in his first over, caught by Tim Bresnan at mid-off, but Dravid and Kohli pushed and nurdled singles to both sides of the crease as India looked to build a solid platform.
Kohli accelerated to his 50 first and was well on his way to his century when Dravid stroked a single to bring up his own 50, eliciting rapturous applause from all corners of the Cardiff ground.
However, he was dropped on 51 by Jade Dernbach who failed to hold on to a sharp return catch off his own bowling.
Kohli then smashed 16 off one Patel over, hitting consecutive boundaries to the leg-side and lofting a straight six, to go to 96.
The 22-year-old completed his sixth one-day hundred by working the ball to square leg off Swann for one, but India's joy was short-lived as Dravid was beaten by the flight of the next ball and bowled for 69.
England's players rushed to congratulate the batsman, who was also given a tremendous standing ovation as he left the field.
Kohli followed soon after, in bizarre fashion. He turned a Swann delivery to square leg and as he set of for a run, he stepped on his wicket and was given out hit wicket, to leave India on 236-4 and two fresh batsman for the batting powerplay.
However, Suresh Raina, who, along with Mahendra Dhoni, scored 110 in the final 10 overs of the India innings in the fourth one-day international at Lord's,, external set about England's bowlers.
Bresnan was hit for 29 in two overs, Raina blasting a huge six in the first, while Dhoni lofted a straight six off the back foot, smeared a low full toss to the cover boundary and pulled a six to cow corner in his next.
The final over saw Jade Dernbach bowl three wides as he tried to counter Dhoni's aggressive hitting, but the Indian wicketkeeper, who was dropped by Patel, hit one four and a six before digging out a yorker to reach his 50 off 26 balls.
- Published16 September 2011
- Published12 September 2011