A Victory, Nevertheless

India relied on a clinical display by their bowlers to launch their ChampionsTrophy campaign with a morale-boosting four-wicket victory over England in alow-scoring Group-A contest here today.

After the bowlers did an admirable job to bundle out the visitors for apaltry 125 in 37 overs, the home team faced some anxious moments beforeoverhauling the target with 20.3 overs to spare in a floodlit match at the SawaiMan Singh stadium.

The Indians were cruising along comfortably at 98 for two at one stage beforelosing four wickets in quick succession to make things a little too tight forthemselves. Yuvraj Singh (27 not out) remained till the end as India scored 126for 6 to notch up the victory as dazzling fireworks lit up the evening sky.

The hosts, who have been going through an indifferent form in recent times,were well served by left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan who buried his own poor formwith the ball to spearhead an immaculate bowling performance.

Munaf Patel (3-18) and Ramesh Powar (3-24) complimented Pathan's extended newball spell of 8-3-20-2 to rout the visitors to their lowest ever total againstIndia.

The evergreen Sachin Tendulkar then guided the chase with a controlledaggressive innings of 35, which came from 41 balls and contained five fours.

The victory was worth two points for India who next face title holders, theWest Indies, in their next clash at Ahmedabad on Oct 26.

England await Ashes rivals Australia at the same venue on Oct 21.

The previous lowest total by England against India was 149 in a World Seriesmatch in Australia in 1984-85.

It turned out to be a pathetic batting performance with only Paul Collingwood(38) and Kevin Pietersen (27) being the notable scorers for England.

England, who were routed 1-5 in the one-day series when they visited Indiaearly this year, showed no signs of having familiarised themselves with thesub-continent conditions.

The 49-run partnership between Collingwood and Jamie Dalrymple (24) for thesixth wicket was the only bright phase of the England innings which ended in 37overs, before the sunset.

Pathan has struggled with the ball for most part of the year, and was droppedfrom the Test team on the tour of Caribbean in May-July and then from theone-day team in the tri-series in Malaysia last month.

Patel and Pathan combined to rip through the England top order and thevisitors never really recovered from 55-5 after 19 overs.

Patel (3-18) provided the opening breakthrough by trapping Ian Bell legbefore the wicket.

The innovation of sending captain Andrew Flintoff at number three backfiredwith the all-rounder registering a blob, Pathan rapping him on the pads whiletrying to work across the line.

Pathan then delivered the major blow when he snared the key wicket ofStrauss, caught in the slip cordon while fending a rising delivery.

Michael Yardy failed to live up to the pre-match hype, becoming the third legbefore victim of the match to Patel for four.

Pietersen's fiery innings was short-lived, though.

After driving Pathan to square-leg boundary in the 15th over, the SouthAfrica-born batsman then collected boundaries off Ajit Agarkar in successiveovers, the step out and flick to fineleg being the stand out shot.

The big-hitting Pietersen then turned his attention to Patel, punching himthrough the cover for another for four.

But the right-arm seamer had the last laugh when he had him caught byTendulkar at first slip.

Collingwood and Dalrymple then led a minor recovery before Ramesh Powartriggered a middle order collaps.

The Mumbaikar had Collingwood caught behind by Mahendra Singh Dhoni who heldon to a bat-pad catch, ending a 54-ball innings comprising six fours. The restof the line up capitulated meekly.

India were off to a flier. Even before the break, they had knocked out 55 ofthe required runs for the loss of Virender Sehwag.

Sehwag fell for nine but he tore into the England bowling during his briefstay to launch the Indian chase.

The Delhi batsman struck two stunning boundaries, an on drive to mid-wicketand a typcial slash over point, of Steve Harmison who seemed to bowl exactly atSehwag's favourite area.

Harmison's over cost 20 runs. Sehwag, however, fell in the same over, pokingat a wide delivery for a reflex catch by Strauss to end the brief butenterprising innings.

Tendulkar and Pathan, however, sustained the momentum with a rich array ofshots on both sides of the wicket.

Sajid Mahmood beat Tendulkar with his pace on a couple of occasions but thewicket never had anything in it to trouble the batsmen.

Just when things were going smoothly, India lost two wickets in the space offour balls. James Anderson delivered the twin-strike, removing Pathan andcaptain Rahul Dravid in the 11th over.

Pietersen came up with a stunning catch at cover to send back Pathan andDravid was consumed by an outswinger.

When Harmison struck Tendulkar in front of the stumps, India needed 28 fromabout 32 overs.

PTI