Rajkot: India’s woeful run of losses continued after a struggling top-order failed to convert good starts even on a placid track as England drew first blood with a thrilling nine-run victory in the first cricket one-dayer here on Friday.
Chasing a stiff target of 326, India lacked the batting firepower and were restricted to a 316 for nine in a high-scoring contest to concede a 1-0 lead to visitors in the five-match series.
Opting to bat first, England rode on a record 158-run opening stand between captain Alastair Cook (75) and in-form Ian Bell (85) to post an imposing 325 for four on a batting paradise at the newly built Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
The Indians conceded as many as 38 runs in the final two overs with Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar giving away 20 and 18 runs respectively. The late flourish by England proved costly for the hosts.
India began the run chase in earnest with Ajinkya Rahane (47) and an out-of form Gautam Gambhir (52) adding 96 runs for the opening stand but both were guilty of frittering away a good start.
Yuvraj Singh (61), Suresh Raina (50) and skipper MS Dhoni (32) were other notable scorers, but, again, none of them could translate the start into a match-winning effort.
Off-spinner and Man-of-the-Match James Tredwell was the pick of the English bowlers as he scalped four for 44 while Jade Dernbach chipped in with two wickets.
It was a creditable turnaround for the visitors who came into match with back-to-back defeats in the warm-up games against India A and Delhi respectively.
The two teams will now travel to Kochi for the second one-dayer to be held on January 15.
The victory is England’s 14th in 41 ties between the two teams in this country.
Cook and Bell compiled 158 runs for the first wicket breaking a 30-year record for England against the hosts in the process to lay a fine platform on a placid track.
Kevin Pietersen (44 in 45 balls) and Eoin Morgan (41 in 38 balls) put on a breezy third wicket stand of 76 runs in 9.5 overs before both fell in 12 balls to Ashok Dinda.
However, Samit Patel smashed 44 not out in 16 balls, with six fours and a six, and added 70 runs in the last six overs with Craig Kieswetter who remained unbeaten on 24 off 20 balls with a four and two sixes.
“We conceded a lot of runs in the last two overs. But we got a good start but did not have enough wickets in hand in the last 10 overs to put pressure on them. Had I stayed on for two more overs things could have turned out differently,” said Dhoni after his team’s defeat.
Asked why the team preferred Dinda over Shami Ahmed, who had made an impressive debut against Pakistan at New Delhi recently, Dhoni said the wicket at the Ferozshah Kotla was different.
“We knew Dinda can bowl yorker length balls but did not know how Shami can bowl on such a wicket,” said Dhoni.
Dhoni curtly said “no” when a local scribe asked him if the team management had erred in leaving out Cheteshwar Pujara from the playing eleven as he came into the game on the back of his second Ranji Trophy triple hundred.
England skipper Cook attributed the win to team effort.
“It was a good toss to win on a very good wicket, and we made the most of it. I am proud of the side. Samit (Patel) and Craig (Kieswetter) at the end made a difference,” he said.
The English captain also praised Tredwell for his match-winning bowling.
“Tredwell bowled brilliantly. It is pretty much the same attack we had here in 2001, and good to see how we have learned from the experience,” Cook said.
“It is hard to defend with five men in the circle, India kept getting close, but we got the wickets when it mattered,” he added.
Off-spinner Tredwell said while restricting, England got wickets when it mattered for the side.
“You try and hit your skills over and over again. If the batsman hits a good shot, so be it.
“We got wickets at the right time, even at the lower end, it is what helped us get over the line,” he said. (PTI)