England Square Series In Mumbai Thriller

England pulled off a thrilling win over India by just five runs under thefloodlights at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Chasing 256 to win the game andthe series, India fell short as disciplined bowling by England graduallyincreased the pressure on the batting side. Although neither team took theseries, one-day cricket was certainly a winner at the end of a six-match tusslethat was packed with entertainment.

It was an extraordinary match, with England apparently running away with itearly in their innings thanks primarily to Marcus Trescothick, who won theman-of-the-match award for another scintillating innings of 95. But thenHarbhajan Singh intervened to end England's dreams of an unassailable total, andSourav Ganguly - as at Delhi - had almost won the game for India when hisdismissal heralded an Indian collapse.

Nasser Hussain again won the toss (almost becoming a habit!) and Englandstarted badly. After Trescothick was missed at backward point off the first ballof the innings, Nick Knight fell to Javagal Srinath in the same over. ButTrescothick and Hussain then accelerated so firmly that after ten overs Englandhad reached 70 for one. Ajit Agarkar was expensive as he struggled with hisline, but Ganguly took England's second wicket when Hussain pulled a long hopstraight down Harbhajan's throat at deep mid-wicket.

Trescothick went to his 50 (off just 42 balls) with an imperious off-drive, astroke he repeated regularly as he remained in full control of India's bowling.At 152 for two England were dreaming of 300-plus, but the loss of MichaelVaughan, stumped playing a needless swish at Harbhajan, led to a collapse. AfterGraham Thorpe had gone in the same way, Trescothick's effort was halted as hewas caught and bowled by Harbhajan off the leading edge, playing against thespin.

Paul Collingwood clipped Harbhajan to mid-wicket, where Virender Sehwag tooka fine catch diving forward. Another catch by Sehwag, this time at slip offHarbhajan, sent Ashley Giles back without scoring, and the "Turbanator"had taken four for two in seven balls. England had subsided from 153 for two to174 for seven. It was left to Andrew Flintoff to carry them to respectability,with an innings of 40 in which he was well supported by Darren Gough before theLancastrian was last out with England on 255.

Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar gave India their customary kick-start, but thestadium fell to an eerie silence as England made their first breakthrough, Goughfinding Tendulkar's outside edge with extra bounce for James Foster to completethe dismissal. To England's relief Andrew Caddick, whose first spell wasexpensive, then accounted for Sehwag (31), who drove a swinging delivery toThorpe at mid-on.

Ganguly and Dinesh Mongia then put on an unruffled half-century partnershipwhich at the time looked crucial to India's hopes of victory. Ganguly wasparticularly strong on the off-side, and also hit Giles into the crowd overlong-on. Like Harbhajan before him, Vaughan managed to extract turn and bouncefrom the Mumbai wicket, and got his just deserts when Mongia, on 35, came downthe wicket and was beaten by the turn, allowing Foster to make a smart stumping.

With the required rate mounting, Ganguly (80) fell in bizarre fashion, whenafter missing a sweep at Giles he deflected the ball on to his stumps off theback of his bat. Ganguly walked off disconsolately and England knew they wereback in business. Mohammad Kaif (20) hit across the line at Flintoff, skying acatch to Hussain at cover.

To England's dismay Vaughan then missed Ajay Ratra off Caddick at square leg.It wasn't expensive; Vaughan himself dismissed Ratra in his next over, as Ratraslogged him straight to Giles at deep mid-wicket. When Caddick got extra bounceto take Agarkar's edge, India were 224 for seven and England were scenting thekill.

Badani took a priceless boundary to leave India needing 20 off 16 balls;Harbhajan perished for five, flailing at Flintoff. With six needed off threeballs Kumble, the non-striker, was run out by Flintoff following through asKumble attempted a sharp single. Flintoff finished it by bowling Srinath withhis next ball, and England had won a real nail-biter to square an enthrallingseries.