It was the kind of pitch that bowlers won’t turn their backs to. First, Lancashire teammates James Anderson and Sajid Mahmood banked on the even bounce, stuck to basics and took three wickets to restrict India to 223. Then, even as India fought a lost cause, Harbhajan Singh used his doosra to good effect to pick up three more and touch 150 ODI wickets.

Then again, it was also a pitch that two batsmen wouldn’t forget in a hurry. After Mahendra Singh Dhoni thrilled his home fans with a superb 96, Andrew Strauss regained his form to steer his side to a five-wicket victory. The only blip for Strauss: hit by cramps, he pulled out at 74, when the team was 160 for three.

For the Indians then, playing without Rahul Dravid and Irfan Pathan, it was a wake-up call of sorts after eight straight one-day wins. You could blame it on the Jamshedpur stadium jinx—only one win in 9 matches. Or, simply applaud the English team for making full use of the conditions.

Unlike the Indians later on, the English medium pacers kept a fullish length, only occasionally resorting to the short ball as surprise weapon. A classic case in point is the way Mohammed Kaif was dismissed. Mahmood tested him with a full length delivery that the struggling batsman just about dug out and in the very next over bowled a similar delivery to which the Indian played across.

However, the Indian new ball story took a different turn. R P Singh and Munaf Patel fed Strauss and Bell to their strengths, outside the off-stump. The result was a rollicking opening stand of 107 that ended whatever chance India had of going for a clean sweep.

... contd.