Tweet
25 overs England 97 for 1 (Cook 57*, Pietersen 21*) v India
Alastair Cook took three fours in an over off Shami Ahmed, the most authoritative a pull over midwicket © BCCI
It was a cold, wintry morning in Mohali, about 6C at start of play with the fog lifting, just the sort of day for batsmen to abandon lofty ambitions of unfettered strokeplay and dig in. India's pace attack was insistent and Alastair Cook's workmanlike unbeaten half-century was an essential response.
Cook, comfortable with the need to play methodically, brought up his half-century 74 balls. Kevin Pietersen was more fretful, anxious for the first sign of glory, but glory did not come easily for England, not while Bhuvneshwar Kumar was conceding only 30 runs in a probing 10-over allocation or Ishant Sharma was revelling in encouraging fast-bowling conditions.
There are rumours that the final ODI in this quintet might still be moved from Dharamsala, still further north, where snow recently cheered the tourist industry, if the weather does not pick up, but an extra match in Mohali, if that was the outcome, would not be cause for the sun cream.
A further chill ran through England's bones with the recognition that defeat here would mean a fourth successive ODI series loss in India. They had been outplayed comprehensively in Kochi and and Ranchi after winning the opening clash in Rajkot and another lost toss for Alastair Cook, and an invitation to bat first, did not auger well.
India's quick bowlers excelled in responsive conditions, with Ishant particularly uplifted. Far from being disconsolate at their progress, England would have been grateful not to have lost top-order wickets as they had in the last two games.
England's innings progressed in staccato fashion, with five boundaries in eight balls bringing relief after only 12 came in the first five overs. Cook took three in an over off Shami Ahmed, the most authoritative a pull over midwicket. Bell flicked and square-drove Bhuvneshwar without ever matching the ease of his captain.
Bell's dismissal had a sense of anxiety about it. An attempt to charge Ishant and hit him down the ground produced only a thick edge to third man, a neat catch by Bhuvneshwar and a wicket for Ishant in his second over.
Pietersen had an uncomfortable start. He was struck on the elbow as Ishant cut one back and narrowly escaped an lbw decision in the same over when he just got outside the line, his disorientation evident when he got back into his crease with his hand. He needed 13 balls to get off the mark when he edgily got Bhuvneshwar through square leg; 33 to find the boundary, an authoritative straight drive against R Ashwin. Not too often in the past year have England regarded the introduction of spin as a blessed relief but it was certainly the case today.
The potential threat of two new balls, even in a northern outpost like Mohali where the quick bowlers can find assistance, does not weigh heavily on India. They dropped Ajinkya Rahane, leaving uncertainty about who would open the innings with Gautam Gambhir. Whoever it was would not be used to it.
It was a particularly strange decision considering that the morning was cold, the fog departing slowly and that Dhoni was optimistic enough about bowling conditions to insert England after winning the toss. Rahane, who managed only one ODI in 2012 in spite of being around the squad for long periods, would feel his chance had been extremely limited.
Alastair Cook took three fours in an over off Shami Ahmed, the most authoritative a pull over midwicket © BCCI
It was a cold, wintry morning in Mohali, about 6C at start of play with the fog lifting, just the sort of day for batsmen to abandon lofty ambitions of unfettered strokeplay and dig in. India's pace attack was insistent and Alastair Cook's workmanlike unbeaten half-century was an essential response.
Cook, comfortable with the need to play methodically, brought up his half-century 74 balls. Kevin Pietersen was more fretful, anxious for the first sign of glory, but glory did not come easily for England, not while Bhuvneshwar Kumar was conceding only 30 runs in a probing 10-over allocation or Ishant Sharma was revelling in encouraging fast-bowling conditions.
There are rumours that the final ODI in this quintet might still be moved from Dharamsala, still further north, where snow recently cheered the tourist industry, if the weather does not pick up, but an extra match in Mohali, if that was the outcome, would not be cause for the sun cream.
A further chill ran through England's bones with the recognition that defeat here would mean a fourth successive ODI series loss in India. They had been outplayed comprehensively in Kochi and and Ranchi after winning the opening clash in Rajkot and another lost toss for Alastair Cook, and an invitation to bat first, did not auger well.
India's quick bowlers excelled in responsive conditions, with Ishant particularly uplifted. Far from being disconsolate at their progress, England would have been grateful not to have lost top-order wickets as they had in the last two games.
England's innings progressed in staccato fashion, with five boundaries in eight balls bringing relief after only 12 came in the first five overs. Cook took three in an over off Shami Ahmed, the most authoritative a pull over midwicket. Bell flicked and square-drove Bhuvneshwar without ever matching the ease of his captain.
Bell's dismissal had a sense of anxiety about it. An attempt to charge Ishant and hit him down the ground produced only a thick edge to third man, a neat catch by Bhuvneshwar and a wicket for Ishant in his second over.
Pietersen had an uncomfortable start. He was struck on the elbow as Ishant cut one back and narrowly escaped an lbw decision in the same over when he just got outside the line, his disorientation evident when he got back into his crease with his hand. He needed 13 balls to get off the mark when he edgily got Bhuvneshwar through square leg; 33 to find the boundary, an authoritative straight drive against R Ashwin. Not too often in the past year have England regarded the introduction of spin as a blessed relief but it was certainly the case today.
The potential threat of two new balls, even in a northern outpost like Mohali where the quick bowlers can find assistance, does not weigh heavily on India. They dropped Ajinkya Rahane, leaving uncertainty about who would open the innings with Gautam Gambhir. Whoever it was would not be used to it.
It was a particularly strange decision considering that the morning was cold, the fog departing slowly and that Dhoni was optimistic enough about bowling conditions to insert England after winning the toss. Rahane, who managed only one ODI in 2012 in spite of being around the squad for long periods, would feel his chance had been extremely limited.