Here’s how England decided to win the fifth one day match. The half way recap, read it how you will.
With the series in the bag, Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt compelled to employ the rotation policy. Suitably Irfan Pathan and Rohit Sharma got a look in while Munaf Patel was asked to rest beyond the boundary and Gautam Gambhir far away from the middle of the action.
England have had a lot of excuses for why they have failed. Here’s the list of excuses:
• Yuvraj Singh (this is easy: simply say – what an innings)
• Yuvraj Singh, (he simply will not comply! Now he’s plain annoying)
• Virender Sehwag (aw! Just when we thought we were tackling Yuvraj)
• Smog (What is India fuming about?)
• Duckworth Lewis (like the smog wasn’t enough)
• Rain (we came all the way from England to Caribbean to India not to play a Twenty20 match; haven’t we already shown once we are not in the mood for it?)
• Yuvraj Singh is bowling 10 overs. That was not part of the plan.
• (almost immediately) well, we don’t play IPL (Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison
• Lack of floodlight usage (more like lack of common sense)
• Cannot spot ball; cannot field; dew around (will come somewhere into the picture here in Cuttack)
The skipper wanted more centuries. Well, Kevin Pietersen had better get the runs himself and knock that desperately sought century like he did today. Besides, that was the only way England were going to get anywhere near a competitive score.
Owais Shah was pushed further down the order after his superlative effort in the previous match when he nearly picked up the Man of the Match even as Virender Sehwag claimed it for his own. Imagine if Owais had come higher in the order and scored more than the runs he was allowed in the time available. (Pietersen could have had another century maker perhaps. Are you listening, KP?)
England then decide that if they are not winning the one day international matches in India with a player like Ian Bell, they may as well as take to the last resort, which was basically defying their own logic. Alastair Cook was, very early in his career, dubbed as a specialist Test batsman, fair or unfair, time will be the best judge of that. Now the very same men that matter have decided Cook is England’s best option to tide over their one day woes. Cook did not make much happen in this game. One can only hope he comes good sooner than later when he may not get another chance.
Change the opening partnership…again. Matt Prior’s magic against South Africa faded away and Ravi Bopara was roped into the opening slot. Now Ian Bell moves out and Cook comes in. Experimentation is happening alright but it is not just with the Indians.
Reluctant to use their spinner at the first go, England then picked Graeme Swann and dropped renaissance man, Steve Harmison. Still stuck with a nil tally, England have decided the only way they can strike at the heart of the Indian team is if they once again rely on pace. James Anderson carried the drinks and Harmison has been brought back. How he fares, all will be revealed after the interval in between innings as India chase England’s 270.
Dare we say... Aping quite literally...or Making faces...?
This should be fun. Finally, a word England could be saying if India can make heavy weather or God forbid, England field more excuses instead of catches.
