Sat, 29 Oct 2011 - India vs England, England Tour of India 2011-12, Only T20I- Bulletin

England end tour with a victory

Kevin Pietersen’s 53-arguably his best innings in the format-played a major role in his team chasing down a target of 121 on a turning Eden Gardens wicket successfully. It gave the tourists a six wicket victory in the solitary t-20 international, and, more importantly, helped England to end disastrous India tour –that saw them whitewashed 5-0 in the ODI series-with a win over the hosts.

Inspired by some terrific fast bowling from Steve Finn, Tim Bresnan and Ravi Bopara, England rattled strong Indian batting line-up to restrict them to 120, Pietersen scored his 6th fifty of his t-20 career to help his side to achieve the target with eight balls to remain.

England got the chase to aggressive fashion with Craig Kieswetter hitting a couple of fours upfront. The wicketkeeper batsman didn’t last long though succumbing to Ravindu Jadeja for 12. Jadeja posed all sorts of problems to Alex Hales but Pietersen showed his class to bring chase on the track.

Hales’ 19-ball struggle for 11 ended when he top-edged Yusuf Pathan to leave England 40 for 2 at the end of seventh over. Pietersen didn’t relent though creaming some quality strokes including his trademark switch hit for a six. The star batsman combined with Samit Patel to put up a match winning stand of 60 for the third wicket to evaporate India’s chances.

Patel hit a four and six in his 21 and Pietersen’s knock was laced with five fours and a couple of sixes before both went in a quick succession.

Bopara in Jonnie Bairstow’s company to round of remaining 15 runs for the victory and give something to take home after a horrendous ODI series.

Jadeja was splendid with the ball giving away only nine runs in his four overs: the most economical spell from an Indian in the format.

Finn, Bopara and Bresnan shared seven wickets between three of them as Indian batters succumbed to England’s hostility to lose their wickets at regular intervals. Finn 3 for 22 and Bresnan’s 2 for 19 in their respective quota of four overs supported by part timer Bopara who took a brace of wickets in his three over spell helped their side to give their side a good opportunity to get off the mark on the tour. Suresh Raina’s 29-ball 39 laced with four fours and a couple of sixes was the only substantial contribution in the innings when most other batsmen failed against English seamers.

India had an inauspicious start to the proceedings losing openers in first two overs. Fin snared Ajinkya Rahane first over and Bresnan made sure Robin Uthappa’s comeback lasted only three balls next over. Both went to acrobatic catches from Kieswetter.With India reduced to 5 for two, Raina and Kohli mixed rearguard with some aggressive strokes to take score to 26 before Hales’ stunner ended Kohli’s 16-ball stay for 15. The left handed Raina gave innings impetus by unleashing a flurry of big strokes. With Manoj Tiwary playing a support act, Raina went hammer and tongs to inject some stability to Indian innings.

Samit Patel gave England a breakthrough disturbing Tiwary’s stumps to end 40-run stand. Finn came back to take stuffing out of India’s batting order getting Raina and Jadeja off back to back deliveries and have India reeling at 74 for 6.

A 17-run stand between MS Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan couldn’t go further as Bopara double strike-removing Pathan and Praveen Kumar- as India slumped to 91 for 8.

Dhoni continued to his good run of form against England hitting 21 to take score to 120 but was run-out on the final ball of the innings-first time England got his wickets on this tour.