India v England First ODI Thread

[msp83]

The first of the 5 match ODI series between India and England will be played at Rajkot tomorrow at the Saurashtra Cricket Association stadium.
England will be on a high after their test series win last month. They are the top ranked ODI side in the world and had a fine 2012 in a format where they struggled in the past.
With Kevin Pietersen back after all those issues, the batting is further strengthened. Ian Bell who struggled big during the test series has found some form in the warm up matches and captain Alastair Cook is in the form of his life and has a special place in his heart for Indian bowling.
As far as the playing side goes, Cook, Bell, Pietersen and Morgan pick themselves. Craig Kieswetter should be the favorite to start the series with the gloves, but Jos Buttler's explosive batting might see him being picked. Samit Patel's handy 2nd string and the fact that he's a spinner might see him being picked at 7. In the bowling department, Steven Finn picks himself, and as Graeme Swann is rested, James Tredwell should be the first choice spinner. Jade Dernbach's experience and his decent showing in the warm ups might see him being picked over Stuart Meaker.
As far as India are concerned, they'll be going into the series under a lot of pressure having lost the home test series as well as a home ODI series against Pakistan. The process of change started with the axing of Zaheer Khan from the test side and his continued non-selection in the limited over squads. Now for this series, the underperforming opener Virender Sehwag found himself axed and Cheteshwar Pujara's selection is not just recognition of his performances, but also a notice to struggling opener gautam Gambhir. Gambhir might get to start series though, and Ajinkya Rahane should now get a run in the side. The middle order picks itself with Kohli, Yuvraj,Dhoni, Raina and Ravindra Jadeja as the all-rounder. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma and the youngster Shami Ahmed should form the bowling unit.
This is the first international game at the SCA stadium. When the domestic Challenger Trophy was played, the BCCI had to ask for an explanation as to why did the batsmen had it all very easy out there on the track.
The 12 PM start should ensure the dew factor won't have too much of a say.

[Guest]

there is a thread for the whole odi series, that had already been made..

[msp83]

Think that could act as a thread of general debate. Individual matches should produce enough of debate and I feel we could do without cluttering it all there.
We had a general thread on the test series before it started, and then separate threads for each of the 4 test matches.

[ShankyCricket]

Absolutely. For England matches, always makes sense to have individual match threads.

[Duty281]

06:30 GMT start. Can't expect too much from England in this series with no Anderson or Swann or Trott.

[msp83]

Well, England won the toss and are batting.
Joe Root is making his ODI debut, meaning no place for Jos Buttler. England are hoping Samit Patel and Root would be able to take up most of the 5th bowler responsibilities. Bresnan, Tredwell, Finn and Dernbach constitute the bowling unit.
India haven't picked Cheteshwar Pujara, no surprises there, but Shami Ahmed, who played a significant role in winning the last match against Pakistan goes out for his Bengal teammate Ashok Dinda who struggled in the England T-20Is as well as the first couple of games he played against Pakistan.

[msp83]

England 11 without loss in the 3rd over, Bell and Cook opening. A good over from Ishant resulting in 9 runs, with Bell edging one away for 4 and then a direct hit going away to the boundary for 4 overthrows. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a good first over giving away only a couple of singles.

[msp83]

England going alonge nicely, 25-0 in the 6th over.

[msp83]

50 up for England in the 10th over. 54 without loss after 10. Cook on 19, Bell on 33. Dinda continues to bowl poorly, Seems Dhoni has already got a few things quite wrong.

[msp83]

The spinners are on, and Cook and Bell are taking their time. 64 without loss after 13.
The seamers failed to deliver for India yet again.

[Duty281]

Decent start for England, but with Dernbach, Bresnan and Patel in the side, England will require over 300.

[msp83]

Ian Bell reaches 50. He had a lucky escape on 19 when a Bhuvneshwar Kumar appeal for LBW wasn't given, and had a few edgy moments against Ishant earlier, but he has played nicely since then and he is trying to take the attack to the Indian spinners. Where is Yuvraj?
England 82-0 after 16.

[Duty281]

England have already seen off 8 overs by the spinners which bodes well for this series. Keep going England.

[msp83]

50 for captain Cook. He hasn't had enough of torchering the Indian bowlers, no matter what the format is!!.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

A great platform being provided by Bell and Cook here! Pietersen, Root, Morgan and Kieswetter must be licking their lips because this looks a heck of surface

[msp83]

Dinda continues to bowl poorly, a poor call from the team management I have to say. Dinda did nothing to be picked, Shami did nothing to be dropped.

[msp83]

Pietersen should be in next, and he has nothing much to worry about as there is a splendid platform set for him. Have a feeling the Indian bowler's real nightmare hasn't yet started.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Have to agree with Nick Knight here and say take the batting powerplay now with two guys set.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Captain Cook showing no matter how many fielders you have sometimes its not enough! SIXER!!!!!!

[JDizzle]

I presume Root is playing because he can bowl off spin because I can't really see an argument for him playing above Buttler otherwise. I suppose he is more of a nurdler and could hold a collapse but they really should just pick the guy who will score more and I believe that is Buttler. Please prove me wrong Joe.

England starting to get bogged down here as well, RR below 4 for the last 10 overs. And with their bowling we need 300 plus.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

these are the two you want in with 20 overs though ...both capable of scoring over 6 an over for the whole period and taking full advantage of the power play now they are set.

Innings is going very well

[msp83]

England 204-2 after 38 overs. Pietersen on 22, Morgan on 14, both looking set and that could only mean big trouble for India going into the last 10 overs.
Bell was run out for 85, and Cook was out for 75, caught by Rahane of the bowling of Raina, the same combination was at work when Bell was run out.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Only word of caution is that this is a very flat pitch, India are well capable of scoring 300+ too

[msp83]

Ah well, KP has started the fireworks, its Ravichandran Ashwin who is at the receiving end at the moment, a matter of time for the others!.

[msp83]

If these 2 stay on for a bit while more, 330-340 could be a real possibility.

[JDizzle]

They are just starting to tick now, but if either/both of these guys get out then it still could descend quickly.

[msp83]

Ashwin has been pausing before delivering, but it hasn't troubled any of the England batsmen. All that it could do is to take out the momentum into the bowling stride.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Yeah they will need it though. The bowling looks very week, 3 or 4 avergae spin options .. a medium pace donkey...finn whos been largey ineffective recently and Dernbach who the internet hates isnt going to inspire fear in anyone is it

44 off 5 overs in the PP no wickets, cant complain on the batting. KP and Moggs showed real maturity

[msp83]

Dinda back on, and first ball of the new spell disappears over the boundary, nice welcome from Morgan. And he isn't done, the next ball goes for 4. Morgan has overtaken KP, he won't back away, so Dinda can expect more!.

[JDizzle]

Not a bad over from Dinda after the first ball, Morgan didn't get the second one at all and now he's caught and bowled Mogs?

[msp83]

Is that a clean catch? India would really hope it is.

[msp83]

Yes it is, Dinda gets a wicket, Morgan gone.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Morgan right to question that but hes given.

[JDizzle]

I think that's out. And it's been given. Dinda made a meal of the catch, but it was one for India's sake he really needed to take. KP needs to bat all the overs for sure now.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Looks like Root has been picked as a specialist bowler

[msp83]

That is a crucial wicket for India. The slower one from Dinda doing the trick.

[msp83]

The much maligned Ravindra Jadeja finishes with none for 46, comfortably outbowling India's led spinner.
But his critiques will be waiting for a bad day, bad spell, bad over, or a bad ball to bring out the stupid 'Sir Ravindra Jadeja' nonsense.

[msp83]

Another one goes down. Kevin Pietersen gone after threatening much, but under the circumstances, India have managed to limit the damage. He could have butchered the bowling for the rest of the innings.

[msp83]

Good catch from Virat Kohli.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

patel ahead of root? what an insult

[msp83]

No Root, its Samit Patel ahead of him. Well!.......

[alfie]

They are just starting to tick now, but if either/both of these guys get out then it still could descend quickly.

Well I hope not , both gone quickly and even 300 now at risk. Need one of these to get his eye in smartly. Because I wouldn't fancy defending 295...

Credit to Dinda who has come back well.

[JDizzle]

Yes, India have done well here. England needed one of Cook/Bell to go on and get a big score if they wanted to go on and score 330+.

Jadeja did bowl well, varied his pace and length well.

[msp83]

The only credit Dinda gets is for not bowling utter tripe. But lets not kid ourselves, he was terrible earlier on and here also its has abeen more of a case of the batsmen taking him on, of course a slower ball and a good return catch accounted for Morgan, and his and Pietersen's wickets are massive, but Dinda has to do a great deal more if he has to justify getting a place ahead of a young guy who did very well in his debut match.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

To be fair scores of 330 are incredibly rare in 50 over cricket now but this does look like a par 300 game, especially as England packed their side with batting...and India have a lot too.
But in any circumstances 300 is a challenging target and weve seen England consistently defend much smaller totals over the last year

[msp83]

300 is very much on the cards here even though Pietersen and Morgan are out. 265-4 after 45.1. 29 balls, 35 runs. England should be disappointed if they fail to reach 310 at least. India will consider a job well done if they restrict them below 300, particularly after that start and a very productive batting powerplay.

[msp83]

Good finish to the over from Dinda, hit for a boundary first ball, but the next 5 balls produced another single, with Kieswetter unable to score of the last 3.

[JDizzle]

Big 6 from Kies. Just what was needed. 300 is a must.

[msp83]

Patel in fact is doing a better job at the moment. But like Ravindra Jadeja, he'll never be appreciated.
Good hit from Kieswetter, massively expensive spell from Sharma, back to his usual ways.

[alfie]

True Dinda was completely rubbish earlier. But his last couple of overs have been good , to be fair. He will need two more very good ones to redeem himself .
Sharma going round the park now as Kieswetter finally gets hold of one.

England still want a big last three.

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