England run India ragged

England won the first one-day match at the Rose Bowl convincingly, outplaying India in all departments.

On yet another cold day, Dravid chose to bowl first hoping to get some help from the conditions but the wicket was flat and favoured the batsman. England made a steady start and did not take advantage of the power plays, deciding to build a solid foundation instead. They played correctly and the run rate began to increase as the innings progressed. One felt that they were missing a trick again but this time the batting came good with Cook and Bell making maiden one-day centuries, with Bell particularly impressive, continuing where he had left off at the Oval on the last day. They stole the show from the stars, with Pietersen only coming in for the last few overs and Flintoff not required.

India have few options in the bowling department and looked very ordinary. In the absence of swing, their bowlers had no other weapons and were just hoping for the batsman to make mistakes. Ajit Argakar, with a distinct lack of pace looked very ordinary and India may have to re -think their bowling attack. The other major factor was the fielding which one felt would always be their weakness and it really showed up today as there was nowhere to hide. England took full advantage and literally ran India ragged by taking an extra run on most occasions. A total of 288 was good but possible to get by the stellar batting line up. England would have been disappointed not to reach 300 from the position they were in but this was a handy total to defend.

The crucial blow for India right at the start was the run out of Saurav Ganguly by none other than Monty Panesar. They never really recovered from that and were relying on Ganguly to make full use of the power plays. England bowlers bowled superbly, revving up the pace in the absence of swing. Anderson was right on the money and made the crucial breakthroughs in his first spell, leaving India in tatters. To add to this there was the comical running between wickets which only got worse as there seemed to be a total lack of understanding between the batsman who simply stared at each other after every gaff.

Andrew Flintoff marked his return with an impressive spell full of aggression and speed. His presence certainly strengthens the team and gives them more options. He seemed back to his best straight away and the celebration after he took Dhoni's wicket said it all as he has not shown that sort of determination since 2005 Ashes. It all augers well for England and India will have to think of ways of counteracting his pace and accuracy.

Many fans did not stay until the end and the stadium was half full before the end, as an England victory was inevitable from an early stage. The Indian fans , who take this to heart will have been very disappointed by their teams performance. They did not have a chance to show their presence today and were dampened not only by the weather but by India's performance.

England fans on the other hand will be hoping that their team can go on to reproduce this kind of performance consistently throughout the series. They proved their detractors wrong on this occasion and showed what they are capable of. They pulled off one of their best one-day performance in a long time.

It sets it up well for the next match at Bristol on Friday.

Rain spoils warm up game

I returned to Northampton again this summer to watch India play England Lions in a warm up match. I had been looking forward to coming back to this lovely ground again and it has become a favourite of mine. I nearly did not make it when I heard the weather forecast which predicted rain but I had to be there and I am glad I went.

The match had already begun when I arrived as it had been pushed forward and the ground was packed, mainly with Indian supporters making themselves heard. It was a wonderful sight to see this quaint ground in its full glory and really come alive.

England had been put into bat and a wicket had already fallen. The scoring rate was very brisk with Luke Wright and Vikram Solanki at the crease. Wright was really impressive playing strokes all round the ground with ease. The Indian seamers were literally being taken apart and looked very ordinary. Munaf Patel seemed a shadow of his former self and leaked a lot of runs and Zaheer Khan was also very ordinary. The Lions seemed to have a plan of making the most of the powerplays and it was paying off. This was almost a England third team but on this showing they could teach a lesson or two to their senior colleagues on how to play the limited version of the game. Agit Argakar came on as change but did not manage to halt the scoring rate and again failed to impress.

The spinners Pawar and Chawla came into the attack and made a difference as wickets started to fall. England continued to be aggressive but some false strokes meant that a few wickets fell quite quickly. It was a long batting line up and everyone played their part in a very positive manner. On this showing India are going to improve on their bowling as the all the seamers were plundered for runs and the option of playing two spinners may be a good one.

There was plenty of action going on off the field of play as fans cheered the sight of their idols either on the balcony or as in Dravid's case as he went of to go to the nets. The whole squad was at the ground and Tendulkar made an appearance at lunchtime practising on the field much to the fans delight. There was such a scurry that a fan that a boundary board collapsed and a fan ended up on the floor at Sachin's feet.

Saurav was playing in the match and I spent a lot of time near the boundary edge where he was fielding and signing autographs. I have known Saurav since his stint at Lancashire in 2000, when I first met him and I have seen or talked to him most times that he has been in England since then. I had not had the chance this year and it was good to see that he instantly recognised me and gave me a wave and a smile. This may be the last year he plays in England and I wanted to savour every moment of someone I have always considered a great player and person.

There were cries of 'Dada Dada' from the fans and to his credit he willingly obliged everyone to their delight. The most sweetest moment was when a little English girl next to me shouted out his name and he noticed her and came over to sign her autograph. The beaming smile on her face was fantastic to see.

The flurry of runs continued and an imposing score of 296 was posted by the Lions. This had all the makings of a good match but grey clouds were circling the ground now. There was plenty of entertainment during lunch as the dhol players started playing in the stand that I was sitting in. There was dancing and a great atmosphere as everyone tucked into their lunch. There was plenty of Indian food being served at the ground which was popular along with the favourite chips with a bit of spicy sauce.The first signs of rain appeared and the covers went on which was not a good sight but thankfully it subsided and play began after a short delay.

The openers were Saurav and Robin Uttapa and we all settled down to watch. Saurav continued where he had left off at the tests and played a few stunning shots before the rain came. The players came of to some boos but as predicted it became heavier and it just a question of waiting. A lot of us gathered in a massive hall serving food and drink and we all waited and waited. The rain did ease after an hour or so but the match was eventually abandoned at around 4pm. Many fans had already left and it was such a shame as it would have been a cracking game.

It was strange but I had enjoyed this match and the one at Chelmsford much more than the tests, simply for the informal and relaxed atmosphere you get at the smaller grounds. Lords and Oval can be too formal with too many restrictions for the fans and at these grounds everyone is friendly. You feel much closer to the action and the players as they are at touching distance and much more accessible. I had a tinge of sadness as I had no plans to go to any of the one dayers and it would be a long wait to see India again in England and never see this team together again.

As I left the ground for the last time this year, there was the usual gathering of fans desperate to see the team one last time as they boarded the coach. I reflected on the day and was so glad that I made it as it had been one of those special days despite the rain.

India draw to ensure series win

India finally won a series in England after 21 years and you could see how much it meant to them as they celebrated after England held out well for a draw. I was lucky to be there on the final day of the series which has been a great advert for test cricket. It seems a premature end to a series as three tests are not enough and we are all left gasping for more.

There was a very good crowd for the last day and a buzz about the place with plenty of supporters from both sides sitting side by side and enjoying some friendly banter. There was plenty of vocal support for India, with their fans armed with flags and plenty of cheer ready to party at the end. An England victory was unlikely, even thou there was plenty of chat about the possibility if they managed a good run rate and kept their wickets. As soon as the openers were gone, only two results were possible, a draw or a win for India. Sreesanth impressed with his opening spell and for once he let his bowling do the talking which was good to see. Every wicket was met with loud cheers from the Indian contingent as they willed India on to win.

England showed a lot more determination and most of the batsman made a good contribution. Pietersen and Vaughan looked very comfortable at the crease and played some great strokes. A break for bad light seemed to account for Vaughans's wicket as he played a rash stroke. Pietersen continued his patience innings and crafted yet another entertaining hundred. Collingwood played well and Bell's cameo at the end was very impressive. England played very positive cricket throughout the day and made India work very hard for each wicket.

Time eventually ran out for India but they never really looked like they were going for the win after they decided not to enforce the follow on. I found that decision very strange when they had the opposition down and out and they had the opportunity to jump all over them. I can just about understand it even thou I may not agree with it as they have faltered in the past and they wanted to go for safety first. The thing that I did not understand was Dravid's ultra defensive innings and had it not been for the fluency of Ganguly and Laxman, India might have dug a hole for themselves.They let England back from the dead and the momentum shifted but the lead was so huge and that saved them. The 500 figure that Dravid had in his mind still took up valuable time which might have been better spent bowling at England. A lot more can be said but the task was a series win and that is what was achieved in the end and the way India played in the last two tests, they deserved to win.

It is fitting that India is celebrating 60 years of independence and they can mark that with a win over England in their own backyard which makes it very special. There are a lot of events all round London this summer to mark the occasion and I was at an event at Trafalgar Square on Friday evening with classical Indian dance and an amazing sequence of dancers lifted up to the sky at night on a crane.

I stayed on to watch India celebrate at the end and the thing I have noticed about this team is that have bonded very well and are playing for each other and each one has contributed. The absence of a coach has not been felt with the seniors taking a leading role in nurturing the youngsters and it has been a team effort. Every time I glimpse at the dressing room, I can see a smiling Chandu Borde sitting with Vensarger and the players in a very harmonious environment. For me that has been the most pleasing factor and I think a big reason that the team have played so well, with no visible factions within the camp. The senior players have been especially savouring every moment and it was good to see Sachin and Saurav being cheered by the fans every time they came near the boundary edge from where I was sitting. Indeed Sachin was enjoying it so much he asked for more cheer smiling with that cherubic face. Saurav has played as fluently as I have ever seen him play and never looked in trouble and probably deserved a hundred this tour. It is ironic that the man to get a hundred was Anil Kumble, and not any of the star batsman.

As I left the ground for the final time this year, the Indian fans were jumping and singing and generally making themselves heard all round the ground and outside as they made their way home. I smiled to myself as I saw the coach that India does have on this tour, the one that takes them from the ground to the hotel. It seems that at the moment that is the only one that they need.

Now it is on to the one day circus which will be quite a spectacle as the Indian fans will be out in great numbers and in a mood to really party.

A jelly bean too far

India won the second Test at Trent Bridge to go one up in the series, but all the talk is of jelly beans and the warfare between the two sides. A certain amount of aggression is expected in an heated battle and gives the game that extra edge and adds to the enjoyment.

The jelly bean affair suggests that it went too far and became childish school boy stuff best left in the playground. The field was splattered with jelly beans yesterday, no doubt from spectators after the incident the day before which incensed Zaheer Khan to do some bat waving at Kevin Pieteresen. If it was a ploy to unsettle the Indians by England, it surely backfired on them as Zaheer was so fired up by that incident that he went on to tear down the English lower middle order to shreds. I am sure if that is the desired result, India would not mind that happening again.

England have been aggressive in recent years, especially against the Aussies in 2005 to give them a taste of their own medicine and it worked well then as they hunted in packs. The Aussies themselves have always been aggressive and use it as a weapon to intimidate their opponents mentally even before the game has begun. It has worked well for them but the important thing is they also have the skill to back up any verbal game play. Teams in the Test arena have to expect some of this and be mentally tough to withstand it and give it back.

The question is that when does such behaviour cross the line and is against the spirit of the game. I would say that some of the antics came very close to that and both teams will now be mindful of their behaviour in the next match. Sreesanth in particular was affected by it and may need to review some of his actions. He would do well to look at how Zaheer Khan acted and used it to his advantage. Sreesanth's youth and exuberance are an advantage for him and I remember being very impressed by it when I first saw him in the India A team against England in a warm up game in Baroda in 2006. He caught my eye and I marked him out as a future star then. His attitude in this Test has left me a bit disappointed in him as I think he has let himself, his team and his fans down. He needs to control his mind in the heat of the action and it seems it is a complex mind.

I would prefer to remember the match for the cricket, which was of the highest standard throughout the match.The Fourth day stands out as being one of the best days as it had some classic batting from Michael Vaughan which if it had gone on would have turned the match in England's favour and then a blistering spell of bowling from Zaheer Khan to turn the tide back towards India. That is the kind of day that makes one love this form of the game above any other as it is pure scintillating drama turning one way and then the other.

Both teams now have some time off to reflect and focus on the next match. England will be looking to win the next match as they have not lost a home series since 2001. They will pull out all the stops in an effort to win and we might see some short pitch bowling from their tall bowlers to make use of a bouncy wicket at the Oval. They know that Indian batsmen can be uncomfortable with bounce as was the case in the second innings.

India will want to secure a series win and will not want to loose the advantage. All their players have shown good fight and form and they will want to continue this and clinch the series. They have a wonderful opportunity to do so, only needing a draw, so England will have to do all of the running.

Let us hope that the cricket makes the headlines and there are no jelly beans in sight.