Collingwood's Glory Bid in Vain
Cricket: Paul Collingwood smashed a superb 93, but it wasn't enough as England lost to India again.
England might have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the opening two games of the one-day series, but their fate was settled a good deal earlier today. Having allowed India to amass 294 for six on a pitch where batsmen were expected to labour rather than prosper, England's bumbling batting proceeded to make the wicket live up to its pre-match billing.
The 49-run margin of victory would have been more emphatic but for a century stand at better than a-run-a-ball between Paul Collingwood and Geraint Jones. But the damage had already been done. England lost their first five wickets for just 83: Andrew Strauss, Ian Blackwell and Owais Shah all failed to reach double figures, while the early hope provided by Matt Prior disappeared when he was needlessly run-out for 37.
When Andrew Flintoff holed out at deep midwicket for 15, it was 100 for six. Yet the dire situation merely enabled new batsman Collingwood to play unhindered. In an innings much akin to Suresh Raina's matchwinner in the second ODI, the all-rounder taught his team-mates a lesson in measured aggression, bashing 93 off just 84 deliveries with 10 boundaries and one six into the stands.
But the necessary support again proved lacking. Vikram Solanki fell for just 10, while Jones's 32 simply stuttered along at too pedestrian a pace. By the time Collingwood eventually fell, caught at midwicket just seven runs shy of his century, England were languishing on 223-8. Liam Plunkett threw the bat late on for 18, but when Sajid Mahmood was clean-bowled by Ajit Agarkar, the game was belatedly up.
Earlier, Yuvraj Singh capitalised on the platform provided by Rahul Dravid (46) and pinch-hitter Irfan Pathan (36). He blasted a 76-ball knock off 103 balls to accompany another impressive display from teenage star Raina (61). Arriving at the crease with the score 105-2, Yuvraj hit 10 boundaries and lofted three sixes into the stands before becoming one of Flintoff's three victims.
In all 98 runs were plundered in the final 10 overs as England toiled towards a third consecutive defeat. With just four more games and further humid conditions awaiting them, salvation seems unlikely.
The 49-run margin of victory would have been more emphatic but for a century stand at better than a-run-a-ball between Paul Collingwood and Geraint Jones. But the damage had already been done. England lost their first five wickets for just 83: Andrew Strauss, Ian Blackwell and Owais Shah all failed to reach double figures, while the early hope provided by Matt Prior disappeared when he was needlessly run-out for 37.
When Andrew Flintoff holed out at deep midwicket for 15, it was 100 for six. Yet the dire situation merely enabled new batsman Collingwood to play unhindered. In an innings much akin to Suresh Raina's matchwinner in the second ODI, the all-rounder taught his team-mates a lesson in measured aggression, bashing 93 off just 84 deliveries with 10 boundaries and one six into the stands.
But the necessary support again proved lacking. Vikram Solanki fell for just 10, while Jones's 32 simply stuttered along at too pedestrian a pace. By the time Collingwood eventually fell, caught at midwicket just seven runs shy of his century, England were languishing on 223-8. Liam Plunkett threw the bat late on for 18, but when Sajid Mahmood was clean-bowled by Ajit Agarkar, the game was belatedly up.
Earlier, Yuvraj Singh capitalised on the platform provided by Rahul Dravid (46) and pinch-hitter Irfan Pathan (36). He blasted a 76-ball knock off 103 balls to accompany another impressive display from teenage star Raina (61). Arriving at the crease with the score 105-2, Yuvraj hit 10 boundaries and lofted three sixes into the stands before becoming one of Flintoff's three victims.
In all 98 runs were plundered in the final 10 overs as England toiled towards a third consecutive defeat. With just four more games and further humid conditions awaiting them, salvation seems unlikely.
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