England on course for win

Alastair Cook
12 April 2012

England were on course for a successful run chase at The Oval, and an unassailable 2-0 NatWest Series lead over India.

Craig Kieswetter and Alastair Cook got the hosts' reply to 234 for seven off to an encouraging start. Despite the best efforts of the visitors' new recruit Ravindra Jadeja (78) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (69), England were well placed to move one step nearer completing an unprecedented whitewash in all three formats against India.

Munaf Patel ended the opening stand, when Cook shuffled across to be lbw to a full-length ball - but after a series of trademark Kieswetter biffs to the long boundaries at midwicket and extra-cover, England nonetheless progressed to 79 for one in 15 overs.

India did not help themselves either, Jonathan Trott dropped by wicketkeeper Dhoni on two in Jadeja's first over of left-arm spin and Patel - who had been warned for running on the pitch by umpire Marais Erasmus - unable to transfer his weight well enough to collect a return catch from Kieswetter, on 42.

Earlier, James Anderson (three for 48) had a hand in all the first four wickets as India struggled to 58 for five, but Dhoni and Jadeja, who flew in just two days ago as India's eighth injury replacement of what has seemed a cursed tour, then shared a century stand.

The latter hit 10 fours from 89 balls, for a career-best contribution in tough circumstances - and instant vindication for his unexpected journey.

Even before winning an important toss under cloud cover and on a green-tinged pitch, England were beginning to sense the possibility of a clean sweep against opponents who arrived here two months ago as Test and one-day international world-beaters.

After Anderson had shifted both openers and Virat Kohli, and run out lynchpin number three Rahul Dravid for good measure, India's prospects of staying alive in the series were already compromised.

Ajinkya Rahane did little wrong, the credit Anderson's entirely for a delivery angled in and holding its line for a routine catch at slip and a third-ball duck for the young opener.

Conditions so evidently favouring ball over bat seemed likely to bring out the best in Dravid. But his chance to dig in ended when he was just short of his ground, responding uncertainly to a tight single on Parthiv Patel's call to mid-off and beaten by Anderson's swift movement and direct hit.

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