England keep dream alive as champs crash
ENGLAND de-throned the world champions at Lord’s last night, which was nothing less than you might expect from a team that continues to defy logic.
Dunces against the Dutch, shambolic against South Africa, England bounced back again to keep their World Twenty20 dream alive – in the process sending the holders and favourites India heading for an early flight home.
England held their nerve to beat India by three runs, with a highly-motivated and polished performance that was in such stark contrast to what we saw on this ground nine days earlier when they were humbled by Holland.
England need to beat the West Indies at The Oval today to reach the last four and if they perform like this they have every chance.
India were always behind the asking rate as they chased down England’s 153. But 42 runs in four overs left them needing 19 off the last over.
Ryan Sidebottom, re-instated to the team at the expense of Adil Rashid, was entrusted with bowling the six balls at MS Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan that would keep his team dreaming of their first world cup success.
His mane flying under the floodlights, Sidebottom held his nerve, despite Pathan hitting his fourth ball for six into the members’ pavilion, leaving India needing nine off two. The next ball was a single and England were home provided he did not bowl a wide or a no-ball.
Sidebottom did his job, the last ball going for four, and England celebrated like men on death row who had just been given their pardons.
Sidebottom also collected the man-of-the-match award, having started the Indian innings with two wickets in his opening two overs to rock the 20-over kings back on their heels.
England’s cricket was full of intensity and it was India, such experienced one-day campaigners, who wilted under the pressure stoked up by their screaming fans, who made Lord’s feel like a corner of Mumbai rather than gentile St John’s Wood.
Sidebottom’s two wickets, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina both undone attempting to pull, gave England the impetus they needed and he was superbly supported by a disciplined bowling performance, in which Stuart Broad was again outstanding.
The asking rate crept above 10 an over, but India always had hope as long as Yuvraj Singh, who had introduced himself with a six off Dimitri Mascarenhas, was there. Graeme Swann then played a vital hand in his third over, removing both Ravi Jadeja and Yuvraj, brilliantly stumped on 17 by James Foster, who in that one act demonstrated the value of playing your best wicketkeeper.
Dhoni and Pathan smacked 63 runs off the last six overs. But they had left it too late, leaving India with only pride to play for in their final match against South Africa tomorrow. Once again, England’s innings had been all about Pietersen. While he was there, the bat dominated and India looked distinctly edgy. When he was gone, there was a more frantic feel to run-making.
Pietersen was at the crease in the second over, Luke Wright top-edging a mow at RP Singh that flew straight up in the air, and he immediately took control with Ravi Bopara.
The pair brought up their 50 partnership in 35 balls as Dhoni got too clever by introducing Yuvraj, Pietersen’s nemesis in India last winter, into the attack too early.
The ploy may have been worth trying in a Test, but in 20-over cricket it was a high-risk gamble. Pietersen had called Yuvjaj “a pie-chucker” in the winter and that is exactly what he looked as his two overs of left-arm spin went for 20 runs.
It gave Pietersen and Bopara the momentum they needed in a 71-run stand in nine overs.
It came as a shock when both were dismissed in rapid succession by the left-arm darts of Ravindra Jadeja.
Mascarenhas was promoted to No 4 to provide some muscle, but he played like a batsman not sure whether to stick or twist. He hit only two fours in 27 balls for his 25 not out.
England’s innings was in danger of petering out but they found a second wind and somehow scrambled 53 runs off the last five overs, a vital 10 of them coming courtesy of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh’s wonky radar.
He sent two leg-side wides past the grasp of wicketkeeper Dhoni and all the way to the fine-leg boundary, each ball going down in the scorebook as five wides, runs that eventually meant the difference between victory and defeat for his team.
