Pietersen run out, England seven down

NEW DELHI: England kept losing wickets at regular intervals as captain Kevin Pietersen was run out to reduce the visitors to 150/7 in 27.1 overs
in the first ODI against India
at Rajkot.

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With their captain's dismissal, England lost whatever little hopes they had of recovering in the match.

Ravinder Bopara tapped a Virender Sehwag delivery to the covers and ran for the single but Pietersen was not able to beat the throw from Rohit Sharma into the hands of Mahendra Singh Dhoni who removed the bails.

The England hit seven fours and two sixes in his 56-ball knock of 63 runs.

In the previous over, Harbhajan Singh dismissed Samit Patel (28) who charged down the pitch, missed the top spinner and was stumped by Dhoni.

Pietersen hit his 20th ODI fifty to lead his team 120/5 in 23 overs.

Standing tall amidst the ruins, Pietersen led from the front hitting five fours and two sixes in his gritty fifty.

Earlier, RP Singh struck in his fourth over dismissing Paul Collingwood (19) to reduce England to 76/5 in 18 overs.

RP Singh had Collingwood caught behind by Dhoni as England continued to struggle chasing the mammoth India total of 387 runs.

Zaheer dismissed Ian Bell (25) and Andrew Flintoff (4) in his sixth over as England got off to a poor start. Zaheer dismissed Flintoff leg before wicket by getting the ball to come in. That was a good delivery but a poor decision as the ball had pitched outside leg stump.

Earlier in the over, Bell tired to drive but Zaheer got the ball move away and Bell edged to wicket keeper and Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for a simple catch. He struck in his third over when he had Owais Shah (0) caught at first slip by Virender Sehwag who dived to his left to take a good catch.

In the previous over Munaf Patel dismissed Matthew Prior (4) as England lost their first wicket with just 12 runs on the board. Patel drew Prior into the drive away from his body and edged to first slip for Sehwag to take the catch diving to his left.

Earlier, Yuvraj Singh smashed 138 off 78 balls, including 6 sixes and 16 fours, to take India to an imposing 387/5 in 50 overs in the first ODI against England.

Yuvraj notched up his ninth ODI century off 64 balls, recording the fastest ODI hundred against England, who now need to score at 7.76 runs per over to win the match. India's score of 387 is the highest recorded at Rajkot and the 11th highest ODI total ever. ( Watch )

Yuvraj brought up the Indian 300 with a superb six over mid-wicket off Samit Patel and put up 105 runs with Dhoni for the fifth wicket to take India over the 300-run mark.

Dhoni hit a six and three fours in his knock of 39 that came off 32 balls. It was Dhoni who brought up the Indian 250 with a cracking square drive in the same over. Yuvraj, playing with a back problem, took on a runner (Gautam Gambhir) after 35 overs.

Gambhir hit his 12th ODI fifty and Sehwag smashed his 30th ODI fifty off just 44 balls as India got off to a good start.

Both Sehwag and Gambhir played in trademark style, not only looking to hit boundaries but also taking quick singles and didn't allow the England opening bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad to settle down.

Steve Harmison had Yusuf Pathan caught by Ian Bell at mid-wicket for a duck to reduce India to 247/4 in the over after Andrew Flintoff had Raina caught brilliantly by Paul Collingwood at backward point.

Raina hit three sixes in his knock of 43 runs that came off 44 balls. Raina brought up the Indian 200 with a stunning shot over mid-wicket off Stuart Broad that went for the maximum.

Sehwag missed his century by 15 runs as he fell to Samit Patel to put India to 153/2 in 24 overs. Sehwag hit ten fours and three sixes in his blazing knock of 85 runs that came off 73 balls.

Gambhir fell to Patel after scoring 51 runs and putting a 128-run opening stand with Sehwag in 20 overs. Gambhir, who hit eight fours in his 63-ball knock, hit to long off for Owais Shah to take the catch and England their first breakthrough.

Source: cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com