India v England First ODI Thread

[msp83]

First topic message reminder :

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.

[msp83]

Last 3 overs coming up. 310 is definitly within England's reach.

[JDizzle]

Patel does get some unfair stick (PSW!), but he is rubbish a lot of the time. He only seems to play a good knock one in three or four, which isn't really good enough. Wouldn't it be nice to see Buttler coming in now?

[msp83]

Bhuvneshwar Kumar on, not sure he has the pace to be a good death over bowler.

[msp83]

JD they need 5, at least 4 and a half decent bowling options, particularly with the new rule changes. Only Pietersen is a bit of a parttime bowler in that batting lineup, Root and Patel will have to share most of the 5th bowler duties.

[msp83]

Kumar trying a Harmison there!.

[msp83]

Sharma continues to be poor. Helping Kieswetter redeem himself a bit.

[alfie]

Kieswetter still not fluent . Luckily Patel is playing better , but these last few overs have not yielded as much as promised...
Two to go : this is better ... 4.1.4.4.
Go Samit !

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Patel in fact is doing a better job at the moment. But like Ravindra Jadeja, he'll never be appreciated.

A better comparisson would be Ravi Bopara, who has a far better bowling record in T20 and ODI and a far better batting record in tests and T20...yet doesnt get picked for any of them, whereas Fatel is in all 3 teams.
This is Patels second highest ODI innings in a year and a half and easily the fastest hes ever scored. He doesnt really do the job of a big hitting finisher
But credit today, like a monkey with a typewriter hes finally come up with the goods.

Over 300, game on.

[msp83]

Its been a fine little effort from Samit Patel.

[JDizzle]

JD they need 5, at least 4 and a half decent bowling options, particularly with the new rule changes. Only Pietersen is a bit of a parttime bowler in that batting lineup, Root and Patel will have to share most of the 5th bowler duties.

I know, I'm a Patel fan. I genuinely think he has something to offer, but at the moment he is getting picked because there is no-one else/no-one better. Not because of what he is doing. He could be a very useful international player though.

[alfie]

...and a Kieswetter six to finish . Sharma really had a horror day.

307 with one to go

[msp83]

That's priceless from Sharma, none for 86 in 10!!!.

[VTR]

Looks like a good total but might not be enough on these flat decks with short boundaries. 350 should have been achievable.

Can I also hijack this thread to let you all know the great Brian Lara is up in the GOAT debate today. He's up against Michael Johnson and Fangio though!

[seanmichaels]

Haven't a clue what Kieswetter is doing.....

[msp83]

I am sure Patel has heard he's been compared with Ravi Bopara!!.

[alfie]

Ha. Needn't have worried. Patel went nuts and 325 duly arrives...

Thirty eight off the last two overs !

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

JD they need 5, at least 4 and a half decent bowling options, particularly with the new rule changes. Only Pietersen is a bit of a parttime bowler in that batting lineup, Root and Patel will have to share most of the 5th bowler duties.

I know, I'm a Patel fan. I genuinely think he has something to offer, but at the moment he is getting picked because there is no-one else/no-one better. Not because of what he is doing. He could be a very useful international player though.

Hes picked because Yardy got depressed and England cannot cope with the thought of going into a limited overs game without a left arm spinner.

On this innings alone though hes justifying his place as an all rounder. I do feel they are a proper bowler short though. Unfortunately Woakes did nothing to justify being picked, so understandably England went with the extra bat.

England are hampered by not having a Yuraj, Watson, Kallis etc who can genuinely bat in the top 6 and offer a regular bowling option. Very hard to balance the side...they either go in with bowlers who can bat a bit or players who can do neither.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Patels best international innings, 13 an over ...why cant he do that in T20

They really should be able to defend this.

[msp83]

326 to win. India at their best would have gone into the chase with quite confidence, but they are mentally shot, Gambhir has been struggling big for a while, and it has all been down the captain alone in recent matches.

[VTR]

People slate Patel but he has accelerated the end of the innings well here and has done it before in India (and in the World T20). He might not be the man for all conditions but seems a good pick in the SC to me.

[Guest]

Great job by Patel there, I still think India will win but that sets up a great chase.

[dummy_half]

The last 2 overs were huge - a score around 300-305 would feel under-par especially after the start we had, but the extra 20 runs make it much more challenging. Unfortunately, although we only lost 4 wickets, they came a bit at the wrong times, in particular because we lost both 'set' batsmen in quick succession both times - slowed momentum just for a couple of overs each time as the new pair re-established themselves.

Even so, I think we'll need to keep chipping away at the Indian wickets to keep ahead of the game. I'd call the total competetive rather than match-winning.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

People slate Patel but he has accelerated the end of the innings well here and has done it before in India (and in the World T20). He might not be the man for all conditions but seems a good pick in the SC to me.

Hes never had an international innings scored at over 10 an over in any format before today, this was something very different. The big world cup score came at just over 8 an over, nothing special for a T20 finisher (although a very good score given the circumstances he came in in)

Its still a problem unless hes a genuine front 5 bowler (which he isnt) finding a place in the side for him. Unless he can either score at well over 6 an over on a regular basis or score 50s on a regular basis its a problem having him in the top 5/6 (as it is with keiwetter)
Without a batsman in the top 5 who can regularly bowl it means we end up with a bits and pieces bowling unit

Credit for today but he needs to do more on a regular basis. The same though is true of guys like Buttler and Bairstow whos international records are sh1te.

I get why Patels in the side, doesnt mean Im convinced hes the new Vettori off the back of one batting performance on a pitch where every batsman cashed in.

[trebellbobaggins]

Morning all. Hope you are all well.

So here we are playing India again.. must admit i'm looking forward to a fresh tour soon.

So it seems they bounced back from two rubbish warm ups to bat OK here (seemingly) and it comes down to the bowlers.

So as I start watching Dernbache serves up a classic Dernbache start.

[msp83]

10 without loss after 2 overs. Both Gambhir and Rahane hitting a boundary each.
Finn's first over was marked by him knocking the stumps down, and Dernbach offered a hit me filth first up to Gambhir. Both sides are gaging things up for now. good start to the 3rd over from Finn.

[msp83]

Gambhir not looking very assured here. One more bad outing, Pujara is waiting in the wings.

[trebellbobaggins]

wow the crowd are so noisy and can easily get on top of you it seems. Someone as wayward as Dern will never find it easy.

You have to silence the crowd or they carry India home. This side just don't have the bowling that Pakistan had to do that though by the looks of it.

[msp83]

Gambhir taking Finn on, 3 Boundaries so far in the over.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Finn isgetting killed, definately not a seamers pitch

[msp83]

A 17 run over there from Finn.
Gambhir has got a start and to that extend that is an improvement from the Pakistan series. But he has a long history of throwing away starts. He's playing too many shots behind the wickets, so far it has come off, but that has been his undoing in recent times. That shot has brought him plenty of runs but he has been struggling with the execution of the same in recent times.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

4 from an edge there...cant believe englnd are still going with the quicks, its making it easy for india to score just by wafting the bat near the ball

[msp83]

Finn's been taken off and its Tim Bresnan on.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

[msp83]

50 partnership up for the Indian openers and it has come in good time too.

[msp83]

Finn changes ends and and has started the over with 4 balls that Gambhir hasn't been able to score. He had a bit of a flash at the 4th of those and connected with air. No run of the 5th ball either, building up into a very good over from Finn. Single of the last ball, and that is a good finish to the over from Finn.

[msp83]

Run out call against Gambhir there, but he's in.

[msp83]

69-0 after 11. Good first over from James Tredwell, just 3 of it.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

cant believe they waited so long to try something different

[msp83]

Root into the attack ahead of Samit Patel. Interesting move that. The 5th bowler is pretty much England's weaklink, India have to take advantage.

[trebellbobaggins]

really is such a weak bowling line-up.

if we get tanked again in this series then it'll be that causing it.. and probably the pressure that will put on our batting leading to the jitters again.

shame they couldn't at least pick one extra top seamer and spinner.

[Guest]

I'm hoping to jinx it with this comment, but I did think 325 wasn't enough...

[mystiroakey]

england going along well. Big score needed though jeas!!!

[Fists of Fury]

I bet against England at the end of their innings...which means India will collapse and England will win

[mystiroakey]

what odds did you get FOF?

[msp83]

Tredwell gets the breakthrough for England, Ajinkya Rahane goes, playing a rather poor stroke, trying to launch Tredwell out of the ground, no time, and he hits it stright to the fielder.

[mystiroakey]

2 wickets down- england take the upper hand...

was suprised to see india favs on sky bet before the 2nd wicket!!

[Guest]

I'm hoping to jinx it with this comment, but I did think 325 wasn't enough...

*cough* it worked *cough*

[Gerry SA]

2 wickets down- england take the upper hand...

was suprised to see india favs on sky bet before the 2nd wicket!!

I guess failing to defend 290 odd vs Delhi may have influenced the odds.

[mystiroakey]

I'm hoping to jinx it with this comment, but I did think 325 wasn't enough...

*cough* it worked *cough*

[VTR]

Tredwell with 2 wickets and put a brake on the scoring. Vastly underrated player, always does well for England.

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