Over-by-over Report

The story so far Missed opportunities for England, yet again. At one stage, India were 79-5 before a beefy 96 from Mahendra Dhoni (three sixes and 10 fours in 106 balls), and several dropped catches, helped India reach 223 all out off 48 overs. Oh, and Kevin Pietersen took his first international wicket when Harbhajan Singh played down the wrong line and was bowled. This match is England’s to lose, but in 40-degree heat, don’t be surprised if they wilt like an unwatered basil plant.

Meanwhile your emails are thudding in: "Forget the one dayer! Can you bring us updates from Bangladesh - it’s heaps more exciting!" writes Will Symonds. Bad news, Will: Bangladesh are busy cocking this up. They lost their last six second-innings wickets for 23, and were all out for 147. Australia, who need 307 to win, are now 70-1. Bah.

Apologies, etc for the 8am start. It’s the usual tale of finite GU resources v number of hits we’re likely to get at 4am GMT. Not that Anton Lawrence is satisfied. "OBO is a bit like a relationship," he writes. "Once upon a time you would have been happy to get up at 3am to please us with your cricket-related musings, but now the enthusiasm has gone, and its 8am starts. How long before you start to get jealous as people start looking at younger, flashier sites? Then the inevitable rows...." I think we need to talk, Anton.

Meanwhile in Dhaka... Australia have moved onto 78-1, off 31 overs and need another 229 to pull off an amazing victory. "Re: your preamble. I haven’t watered the basil in my garden for a few weeks now and it still looks as frisky as Kevin Pietersen’;s hair," scoffs James Lloyd.

1st over: England 0-0 (Strauss 0, Bell 0) Singh is immediately getting the ball to swing, and Strauss is content to watch. Maiden. "I hate to admit this but I hope the Aussies win in Bangladesh, which will mean they continue to think they’ve got a good side," says Gareth Wilson. "Imagine if they start the Ashes with Clark, Gillespie, Martyn, Clarke and MacGill - awesome!" Have you suddenly turned into a teenage mutant ninja turtle, Gareth?

2nd over: England 2-0 (Strauss 1, Bell 1) Bell and Strauss both get off the mark with singles, before Bell gets yet another case of waft-outside-offside-tis and nearly edges Munaf Patel behind. He’s a lucky man. "How annoying is Dean Jones?" fumes Steve Hart. "His ‘going, going, gone’ shout when a six is hit irritates me intensely. Especially when the ball only goes for four, as happened in the third ODI. He never shuts up and usually ends up talking rubbish just for the sake of something to say. Is he the worst commentator ever?" I can’t think of anyone who’s worse, Steve, although I know Tony Greig isn’t to everyone’s taste. Anyone else?

3rd over: England 14-0 (Strauss 13, Bell 1) Strauss is absolutely loving this. Not only is there no Pathan to get him out - he’s rested for this ODI - but this wicket has plenty of bounce and the outfield is grease-lightning. RP Singh has no rhythm, and three times Strauss clouts him through the covers for four. "Oh to have James Lloyd’s basil-caring skills," sighs Nick Taplin. "I loved mine like a child, and like you sometimes do with children, I forgot to water it for a couple of days and it died like an England run chase. On the subject of the 8am starts, I got into work at half seven just to read the OBO, but was reduced to cricinfo’s ten-minutes behind rubbish. But I forgive you."

4th over: England 23-0 (Strauss 13, Bell 10) Now Bell gets in on the act! First he sumptuously steers an overpitched Munaf Patel through mid off. Then a back-foot biff races through the covers for another four. A great start for England. "I think Ian Botham in his sanctimonious mode is pretty unbearable, especially when he makes pronouncements like ‘no bowler should ever no-ball’," fumes Rachel Clifton. "His entire commentary approach is essentially ‘I was ace me’. Horrible."

5th over: England 29-0 (Strauss 17, Bell 11) Strauss, who’s captain for the day in the absence of Freddie Flintoff, continues to tick along nicely. His 17 has come off 17 balls. "The only good thing about Channel 4 losing the cricket is that we no longer have to suffer the smug twit that is Mark Nicholas," says John Osbourne. "What a pompous, sanctimonious, oddly coiffed, know-all. Just his voice grates on me, and he clearly blow dries his hair - might’ve been all the rage in 1983 Mark, but not anymore. Fortunately the best commentator (Richie Benaud apart) from Channel 4 has been signed by Sky - Mike Atherton. Concise and to the point - doesn’t just talk for the sake of it." I’d advise you not to travel to Australia, John. Nicholas now presents Channel 9’s cricket coverage.

6th over: England 30-0 (Strauss 17, Bell 12) A better over from Munaf Patel, just the single from it. England have made a great start, but remember India were 40-1 after six overs. "Imagine the plight of us Indian viewers who have to put up with clowns like Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Sanjay Manjrekar and Charu Sharma on our National Channel," sobs Arvind Ramaran. I’m trying Arvind, I’m trying! "One of Charu Sharma’s moments of wisdom was when he exclaimed: "Aaah...he connected well," at least 20 seconds after Sachin Tendulkar had hit a four. Not only had the ball been retrieved from the boundary but Wasim Akram was running in to bowl the next delivery."

7th over: England 38-0 (Strauss 17, Bell 20) Bell’s timing is Jerry Seinfeld-perfect right now: twice RP Singh slants it across him and twice the ball is breezed to the boundary. When he’s batting like this, you can see why astute judges like Lawerence Booth and Rob Smyth reckon he end up with 8,000 Test runs at an average of 45. "Re: Dean ‘Deano’ Jones, why is he actually commenting on this series?" asks Ashley Williams. "Does he have connections to India? Or is he cheap? I think we should be told. Or is he an example of another dodgy Aussie export - a la various beers, budget county cricketers, curious ability to distort words through noses etc."

8th over: England 40-0 (Strauss 18, Bell 20) Another good over from Patel - just a single and no ball from it. Drinks. "Bob Willis is far worse than Dean Jones," says James Hammerson. "He’s the only man in cricket more miserable than Harbhajan Singh. Plus Dean Jones’ comment on a Blackwell full toss: ‘Aw, that’s got nuts and topping on it,’ is actually genius." I’m not having you slur Willis, James. I reckon that once you get past his monotone delivery - a big step, admittedly - he’s actually brilliant, insightful and smart.

9th over: England 53-0 (Strauss 27, Bell 23) Poor Vikram Singh! Bell lazily clips him down fine leg, where RP Singh takes a brilliant catch. RP and the crowd go wild - until they realise the umpire has called no ball. Strauss takes immediate advantage - cracking two superb cover drive boundaries to bring up the 50 partnership. "I’ve been following cricket in the office of so long with the Guardian OBO that you dropping the 4am stint is akin to TMS deciding the morning is a little too much for them," says Damian Sefton. "It’s nice coming in at 8-9 in the morning to find a well-developed conversation going on and, if it’s a slow day, lots of previous wickets to ponder."

10th over: England 60-0 (Strauss 28, Bell 27) The runs continue to flow. This pitch is an absolute belter; the outfield is faster than Ben Johnson on steroids and the wicket is fast and true. Surely even England can’t blow this position? "My article on cricket in Mongolia (good views, uneven bounce) has been published on page 1396 of Wisden, picture included, (between Lesotho and Myanmar)," trumpets Richard Sandall. "So am sharing hallowed space with Engel, Booth and Gideon Haigh. What an honour. Life complete. Will die happy." Anyone else got their hands on the new edition yet? Early thoughts?

11th over: England 66-0 (Strauss 28, Bell 33) There are four men in the covers, but Bell has little difficulty hitting yet another sweet cover drive for four. No wonder Vikram Singh looks frustrated. Botham on commentary reckons India were 60 runs short of par - for once it looks like he’s right. "The late, great Jim Laker was England’s best ever spin bowler but not its best commentator," insists Alistair Driver. "His delivery was as lugubrious as a hippo basking in a mud pool in the midday sun - he made Bob Willis sound like Joe Pasquale on speed. And who can ever forget his oft-shown ‘what a way to go to a six’ when describing Beefy reaching a hundred with a six against the Aussies in 81?"

12th over: England 74-0 (Strauss 36, Bell 33) RP Singh returns, but after four dot balls Strauss cleverly flicks him to where second slip should be for four, before another cut brings another boundary. This is all too easy for England right now. "I’m tired of the Aussie-bashing that continually goes on during the OBO (see Ashley Williams, over 7). I have three names for you: Don Bradman, Shane Warne and Richie Benaud. Some respect please! And we’re going to win the Test in Dhaka, unlike the English in this ODI," predicts the fiery Jennifer Rees.

13th over: England 81-0 (Strauss 36, Bell 38) Another loose shot from Bell, and another let off. He pulls it high towards midwicket, but there’s no one there. VR Singh soon serves up more garbage, and a flick off Bell’s pads brings another boundary. Meanwhile Damian Cloud has more news on Mark Nicholas. "Mr Shampoo and set has just finished presenting Australian TVs Commonwealth Games coverage. He was even being smug talking about bowls, nice." Speaking of Australian TV, I was shocked at how less deferential they were to Benaud. In the UK, everyone is content to let him dominate the commentary box. On Channel 9, however, he’s always the No2 commentator and often struggles to get a word in edgeways past Lawrie and Greig.

14th over: England 88-0 (Strauss 41, Bell 40) It’s probably a bit early to talk of last throws of the dice, but India need Harbhajan to have a blinder here. However his first over is all over the place; Strauss puts away a short widish one as the runs continue to flow. "Got new edition of Wisden yesterday," says Charles Heymann. "Their picture of Gough and dancing partner must be the first scrap of female flesh ever glimpsed between the hallowed, yellow sleeves. John Wisden must be turning in his grave."

15th over: England 90-0 (Strauss 41, Bell 41) Powar, who’s wearing ridiculous red-coloured sunglasses, comes on and whizzes through his first over. Just the single and a wide from it. "Re: over 12 - you know the world has changed when an Aussie boasts about possibly beating Bangladesh," says James Evans (and many, many others. "But then again, it shows what happens when a once-great cricketing nation relies on injury-prone old-timers like Glenn McGrath, who will still be bowling at Freddy Flintoff’s children in twenty years’ time."

16th over: England 93-0 (Strauss 43, Bell 43) Sensible cricket from England, who continue nudge and nurdle. Three off Harbhajan’s over. "As a’ neutral’ Scotsman, I can only assume the rise in Aussie bashing is directly correlated with England’s inability to win any form of cricket match since the Ashes," says Mark Urquhart." I think the record is played six Tests, won one and played nine ODIs, won one- real world-leading stuff. Given the form of the players mentioned by Gareth Wilson (over one) I imagine they are quaking at the thought of Bell, Strauss, Jones, Harmison et al coming down under."

17th over: England 98-0 (Strauss 48, Bell 43) Shot from Strauss, who rocks back before slashing Powar behind point for four. There’s still the usual chatter you find at among Indian cricket crowds, but it’s growing quieter by the over. "I always found Dermot Reeve’s inability to use the letter ‘t’ immensely irritating," gnarls Andrew Moore. "Eg: "gread badding". Mind you, that paled into insignificance compared to his being the most smug member of the Channel 4 team, a remarkable feat given the competition."

18th over: England 102-0 (Strauss 52, Bell 43) Strauss brings up a well-deserved fifty, and England’s 100 - but only just. He’s tempted by one that turns and nearly edges it to Sehwag at first slip. But Sehwag is lightning slow to get down and the ball races away to the boundary. "You’ll have to go a long, long way to get worse commentators than Bill Lawry and Max Walker," insists Bharat Sundavdra. "They make Deano’s comments sound erudite and insightful. Lawry’s voice, delivered at high volume through his nose, sounded like an air raid siren. It used to shake my fillings."

19th over: England 102-0 (Strauss 52, Bell 43) Big appeal from Powar, who reckons Strauss - who was trying to slog-sweep - edged one behind. Strauss refuses to budge, however, and so does the umpire. "I’m a bit unsure as to the logic behind Flectcher’s one-day selections as of late," says Tom Van der Gucht. Join the club, Tom. "After checking Bell’s stats, I see that he averaged 37 in the one-day game after 10 matches. Yet he persisted with picking Shah, who has a lower average and less mobility in the field. Ridiculous."

20th over: WICKET! Bell c Dhoni c Harbhajan 46 (England 107-1) Harbhajan fools Bell with his doosra. He gets the nick and Dhoni takes a smart catch. Harbhajan then celebrates like he’s won the World Cup, which is a bit strange considering the circumstances. Meanwhile Dermot Reeve has a supporter. "Reeve did use to have fantastic spats with Boycs in the commentary box," she wistfully remembers. "There was one a few years back that was magnificently, if very cruelly, ended by Geoffrey saying: ‘The thing about you, Dermot, is that you were a very good one day player’."

21st over: England 110-1 (Strauss 54, Solanki 0) Habitual one-day failure Solanki joins Strauss at the crease. England have to be slightly careful here: Strauss looks like he’s struggling in the 44-degree heat and is starting to play the odd loose shot. "As a patriotic Englishman, I always overlook Scotland’s many and varied sporting successes on the international stage," says Adam Nutley. "Perhaps Mark Urquhart could remind us all of the glories of Scotland’s sporting teams?" Er, didn’t they beat England in the Six Nations just two months ago, Adam?

22nd over: England 113-1 (Strauss 5, Solanki 3) It’s slow but steady at the moment, but that won’t bother England: the run-rate is just 3.93 right now. Solanki gets off the mark, with a shuffle off his pads. "Who can beat Tony Grieg as the world’s worst commentator?" ponders PS Swathi. "’What a mighty heave! It’s gone, gone, gone out of the park No hold on, he’s missed and he’s bowled.’"

23rd over: WICKET! Solanki b Powar 7 (England 121-2) Solanki goes for a ridiculous charge-down-the-pitch-and-slog-it into the stands, misses, and is bowled. Rubbish, Vikram. Rubbish. "Ozzie Jennifer (over 12) comes to an English cricket website, and then complains about the Ozzie-bashing!" scoffs Jonathon Wood. "That’s a bit like a whale turning up in Tokyo harbour and complaining when it ends up in Yo! Sushi."

24th over: England 128-2 (Strauss 63, Pietersen 1) Pietersen thinks he’s got off the mark with a scooped sweep down fine leg for four, but - bizarrely - it’s ruled as leg byes. A single later in the over is counted correctly, mind. Apparently Harbhajan and Pietersen are giving each other verbals out in the middle, but I can’t work out what they’re saying. "In response to Adam Nutley, the Scottish men recently won the curling world championship," splutters Garreth Rule. "How many world championships have England won this year?"

25th over: England 132-2 (Strauss 66, Pietersen 2) England continue to tick along nicely, and they need just 92 off 25 overs. They have a long tail today - Blackwell, Plunkett, Mahmood, Hoggard, Anderson - but it should still be a breeze from here. "Even on Brian Lara Cricket, Tony Greig spouts rubbish," says Phil Storey. "If you get out in the 20s he intones ‘he should have got a hundred there’. As a player in real life, I’ve made the twenties plenty of times and never looked close to a ton."

26th over: England 135-2 (Strauss 66, Pietersen 4) Pietersen is giving nothing away, especially against Harbhajan. There’s lots of obdurate blocking before he picks up a couple with a well-timed forward prod. "While watching the Indian innings this morning, you could make out on the stump microphone at Harb’s dismissal (when Harbhajhan refused to walk when he was clean bowled)," writes Simon Hudd. "Pietersen: ‘Don’t you walk when you’re bowled?’. Harb: ‘F@#k you’. Might explain the verbals."

27th over: England 140-2 (Strauss 72, Pietersen 5) England continue to be Civil Service sensible. They’re taking the singles, and very few unnecessary risks. Strauss, meanwhile, seems to have cramp and needs a runner - Vikram Solanki. "The one thing I’m not looking forward to about the Ashes is Darren Lehmann’s commentary," says Christopher Hill. "He can’t even pronounce his own country, preferring to call it ‘Austrah’.

28th over: England 141-2 (Strauss 73, Pietersen 6) Just a couple off that over. Pietersen is determined not to lose his wicket to Harbhajan, which has dulled his wham-bamb-thankyou-maam approach. "If Gareth Rule (over 24) is going to claim curling, I’m sure many Englanders could pick a few pastimes that they could claim world-champion status" says Brian Staunton. "Perhaps flower arranging, eel wrestling, cheese rolling or hobbit-flinging? The list is endless - they all carry a similar gravitas to curling."

29th over: England 148-2 (Strauss 73, Pietersen 10) Strauss is getting really bad cramps now - there’s a long delay while he gets treated by the England physio. The delay doesn’t bother Pietersen, who steps down the ground and sweeps Powar square for four. England now need 76 to win off 21 overs. "Cricket supporters may wish to refrain from being derogatory about curling," claims Ian Macintyre. "The number of competitive teams in the World Cup was considerably more than in cricket, which realistically has as most six possible winners."

30th over: England 157-2 (Strauss 73, Pietersen 14) Strauss is now struggling even to take guard - he’s batting like he’s playing French cricket. Pietersen has no such worries and front-foot slogs an 86mph delivery from Munaf Patel for four. Punaf’s worries don’t end there, mind; he also bowls a wide and two no balls that over. "Gareth Rule (over 24) is right," insists Seb Falk. "England even failed to have a representative in the final of the Lakeside world darts championship (I love that they’ve gone all boxing on us with their rival titles). Pseudo-Scot Blair has even brought in 24-hour drinking in an attempt to improve our chances for next year."

31st over: England 161-2 (Pietersen 18, Collingwood 1) During the break Strauss retires hurt with dehydration and is replaced by Collingwood. Not that it should worry England, who now need 63 off 114 deliveries. "Ian MacIntyre’s example is misleading - having more competitive nations in curling does not tell the whole story," says Simon Hudd. "A sport that is popular in the nations in the arctic circle is commendable. However, cricket’s audience goes comfortably into the billions - just because the competitive nations are fewer, there really is no comparison."

32nd over: England 165-2 (Pietersen 18, Collingwood 3) Munaf Patel has shortened his run-up - perhaps because of the heat - but he hasn’t sorted out his run up, and there’s two more no balls that over. But he gets some extra bounce off his final delivery and Collingwood chops it to Yuvraj at gully - only for Yuvraj to spill it. "I’m surprised to see so many Scottish readers on the OBO today," says Neil Taylor. "Is the Daily Record’s SBS (stone by stone) coverage not quite so riveting?"

33rd over: England 172-2 (Pietersen 22, Collingwood 5) Twice Pietersen comes close to giving away his wicket that over; twice the ball eludes a half-hearted Indian attempt to catch it. England now need 51 off 17 overs. "Ian McIntyre complains that only there can be only six possible winners of a cricket world championship. I see that there have actually only been six nations who won the curling world championships since 1959, so that’s hardly more competitive," scoffs Brian Staunton. "I looked it up - sad, I know!"

34th over: England 181-2 (Pietersen 22, Collingwood 15) The crowd have just attempted a Mexican wave to rouse their team, but it’s not working: the Indians are going though the motions. England now need 43 off 16 overs. "You hear Scots slagging cricket off all the time, but did you know that there are more cricketers than rugby players north of the border?" says Phil Storey. And yet the best that they can produce is Gavin Hamilton."

35th over: England 192-2 (Pietersen 30, Collingwood 15) This could be over quite quickly - Pietersen smashes successive boundaries off the last two deliveries of Yuvraj Singh’s over to take 11 off the over. "Can we have some updates from Dhaka please?" asks Christopher Hill. "Both the BBC and Cricinfo are letting me down." The last I heard, Matthew Hayden had just been run out for 72, and the Aussies were 173-2 chasing 307.

36th over: England 198-2 (Pietersen 31, Collingwood 16) India need wickets, but Sehwag is pushing the field back. Not that it’s helping: RP Singh, who’s gone for 44 in seven overs, concedes another six and England need just 26 to win. "I note that only seven nations have ever won the Football World Cup (Brazil, Germany, France, Argentina, Italy, Uruguay and of course, England," points out Martyn Gretton. "Does that mean we should stop playing football as well?"

37th over: WICKET Pietersen c and b Harbhajan 33 (England 198-3) Harbhajan strikes! Pietersen fails to pick the doosra and scoops a simple caught-and-bowled chance back to the Turbinator. Without even bothering to look at his nemesis, Harbhajan runs off, his arms like airplane wings. "Re: Gavin Hamilton. Would that be the same Hamilton that had the best batting average of any Briton at the ‘1999 World Cup?" asks Ian Macintyre. "Although personally I am rather more fond of some Scottish chap called Jardine who apparently was captain in the 1930s. You may have heard of him."

38th over: England 205-3 (Collingwood 16, Prior 0) RP Singh continues to be as expensive as Elton John’s monthly flower bill. Seven off the over, and England need just 19 to win off 72 balls. "Can I just thank all the incredibly generous OBO readers who’ve sponsored me a total of £145 here," writes Seb Falk. "Special awestruck appreciation to the mysterious Alex, who donated a whopping £50. The time spent slaving over those brownies for the boys in GU towers was well spent."

39th over: WICKET! Prior c Singh b Harbhajan 3 (England 207-4) Harbhajan’s doosra strikes again! Prior, who’s having a batting shocker on the sub-continent, completely mistimes a slog down the ground and RP Singh takes a simple catch at mid off. "In response to Ian Douglas Jardine was born in Mumbai, India," scoffs Howard Wadington (and many others). "His father Malcolm Jardine was Scottish and played one game for Scotland."

40th over: England 208-4 (Collingwood 16, Plunkett 0) Now RP Singh has no ball problems - that’s eight this innings for India. Otherwise Plunkett is content to block. Meanwhile your Jardine correspondence continues to fly in. "Douglas Jardine did exhibit may of the qualities one has come to admire over the years from Scottish sporting legends," chuckles Simon Wood. "Born in India, educated at Winchester and a stalwart for Surrey, he blazed a trail that Kenny Dalglish, Gavin Hastings and Rhona Martin have since followed."

41th over: WICKET! Plunkett c Sehwag b Powar 0 (England 209-5) Plunkett goes for a nine-ball duck after attempting to slog-sweep a ball that pitches two feet outside off-stump. He gets the edge, and Sehwag at first slip takes an easy catch. What a terrible shot. "The fact the Jardine was born in India doesn’t stop him being Scottish," cries Mark Gillespie. "In the words of the great English general Sir Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, on whether he was Irish having been born in Dublin: "Being born in a stable does not make one a horse".

42nd over: England 215-5 (Collingwood 16, Blackwell 4) YP strays onto leg, Blackwell flicks it off his pads for four, and any pressure that was building up on India eases." Is it just me, or are all the players that came into the England side as the ‘one-day-specialists’, actually just rubbish?" asks John Sitch. Er, Paul Collingwood and Jimmy Anderson?

43rd over: England 227-5 (Collingwood 23, Blackwell 4) What a way to finish! Blackwell whacks consecutive boundaries off Powar - who continues to look like the Riddler from Batman with his oversized red sunglasses - and finishes with a six. England win by five wickets. Thanks for all your emails, sorry I couldn’t use them all. Cheers, Sean.