Dravid, Yuvraj lead India to remarkable victory

Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid achieved a remarkable six-wicket victory for India over England in their opening match of the tri-series here on Saturday.

Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid achieved a remarkable six-wicket victory for India over England in their opening match of the tri-series here on Saturday.

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Yuvraj and Dravid both slammed cavalier half-centuries as India cantered home with six wickets and seven balls to spare. India achieved their target of 272 in 48.5 overs.
After Skipper Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag had given India a dream start with an opening stand of 109, the innings was rocked when two wickets fell in quick succession.

Ganguly fell to a spectacular catch by James Kirtley and Sachin Tendulkar coming in at number four was trapped leg-before by Ronnie Irani. The fall of the two most experienced batsmen brought England back in the match but Yuvraj and Dravid put together 131 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket to take India to victory.

Earlier, Yuvraj Singh emerged the unlikely hero of the Indian attack as England were held to 271 for seven in their 50 overs.

Singh, who had taken just 12 wickets in his previous 33 one-day Internationals, saw his occasional left-arm spin yield a career-best three for 39 in India's first match of the tournament.

Marcus Trescothick top-scored for England with 86 and captain Nasser Hussain made 54 for the other major contribution before the innings petered out.

Trescothick got off to a brisk start after Hussain won the toss. At the other end, left-arm
quick Zaheer Khan unluckily went past the outside edge off Nick Knight's bat on a couple of occasions.

England's other left-handed opener was more assured. Trescothick stroked Khan through extra cover and the modest pace of India's right-arm new ball bowler Ajit Agarkar received the same treatment.

Khan and Agarkar's combined opening 12 overs went for 71 runs, Knight at last breaking free with two fours off the latter.

Then the introduction of Kumble saw India take their first wicket all-be-it in unusual fashion.
Trescothick played the leg-spinner down to deep square leg and set off. A single was completed but Knight, coming back for a second, could not beat Sachin Tendulkar's powerful one bounce throw that went straight into Kumble's hands.

Knight was out for 31 from 42 balls with just two fours and England were 86 for one in the 14th over.
Hussain came in and on 18 edged opposing captain Sourav Ganguly's medium pace through to keeper Rahul Dravid.
But Dravid, who only keeps in one-day matches, dropped the catch when stood up to the wicket.

Trescothick meanwhile took a liking to the 20-year-old Yuvraj, depositing him for a huge six over long on while Hussain reverse swept Harbhajan to the boundary.
But in sight of a hundred Trescothick was well caught by the helmet-wearing Dravid as he tried to run Ganguly down to third man.
His 86 had come from 78 balls including one six and eight boundaries. Together with Hussain he had put on 67 in 77 balls.
Trescothick's departure brought in Andrew Flintoff. The all-rounder's blistering 50 batting at seven had helped set up England's win against Sri Lanka in Thursday's opening match of the tournament.

Now promoted up the order, Flintoff carried on from where he finished at Trent Bridge, getting off the mark with a pulled four off former Lancashire team-mate Ganguly.
But only two more boundaries followed before Flintoff (22) went down the wicket to Yuvraj, checked his stroke, and was well caught by a diving Dinesh Mongia at mid-off.
Hussain's 54 off 82 balls failed to up the tempo. Trying to just that against Yurvraj, an ungainly offside heave saw him stumped.
England were then 222 for five in the 40th over and when Yuvraj had Graham Thorpe (12) caught at short third man they never looked like topping 300.
India take on Sri Lanka in their second fixture on Sunday. In the opening match of the series on Saturday, England beat the Lankans by 43 runs.