2nd ODI: NZ v. Ind: Match Abandoned Due to Rain!

The second ODI between India and New Zealand was abandoned due to continuous rain. Though the match started late and the Indian innings started, the match could not be continued because of the poor ground conditions as well.

The frequent rain reduced the match from 50 overs to 44 and then to 34 overs a side. When the rain firt interrupted, India were 130 for 1 in 19 overs. Then during the second disruption, India were 151 for 3 in 24 overs.

Sachin was in great form and looked as usual at his best. When Sehwag was scoring runs at his regular pace, Tendulkar was playing singles to give him more strike. Sehwag scored another 50 in his career which came of just 32 balls with 9 fours and a six. When the score was 76, Sehwag was caught behind of Butler for 54.

Kiwis would have thought they could come back, but that did not happen. Sachin took over from where Sehwag left and started hammering the bowlers. He also added another 50 to his cap. He reached his 50 in 57 balls with 6 fours and a six. He was trapped leg before for 61. Yuvaraj got out for a duck. Dhoni and Raina lifted the innings but rain stopped the play. This match could have been another high total game with India were 188 for 4 in 28.4 overs.

Scoreboard:

Tour: India to New Zealand
Series: ODI
Match #: 2
Date: Friday March 6, 2009
Venue: Wellington
Captains: Daniel Vettori (NZ) and MS Dhoni (Ind)
Umpires: EA Watkin and RE Koertzen; GAV Baxter-third umpire
Toss: India won the toss and decided to bat
Match: Abandoned due to rain
Man of the Match: None
Series: India lead 1-0

India 188 for 4 in 28.4 overs (V Sehwag caught McGlashan bowled Butler 54, Tendulkar LBW Vettori 61, Gambhir caught Elliott bowled O'Brien 30, Yuvaraj Sing caught Taylor bowled Mills 0, MS Dhoni 23 not out, SK Raina 13 not out, Extras--7 (lb 3, w 4), KD Mills 7-0-46-1, IE O'Brien 6-0-44-1, IG Butler 7-0-38-1, JPD Oram 4-0-29-0, DL Vettori 3-0-14-1, JD Ryder 1.4-0-14-0)

Fall of Wickets: 1-76 (Sehwag, 12.3 ov), 2-139 (Tendulkar, 21.3 ov), 3-142 (Yuvraj Singh, 22.3 ov), 4-166 (Gambhir, 26.2 ov)

3rd ODI: Ind v. Eng: Harbhajan, Sehwag and Bad Light help India Win!

As rightly predicted by Dhoni after losing the toss, bad light did come into play and India won by Duckworth-Lewis method. Even otherwise, India would have won easily as they needed 43 from 9 overs with 5 more wickets in hand when bad light stopped play.

After losing the toss, Dhoni said to Ravi Shastri, that in one-way it is good to lose the toss because towards the end of the day, the light may fade and bad light may come into play. As righly guessed by Dhoni, umpires awarded the light in favor of the batsman at the end of 40 overs when India were 198 for 5. India needed 182 at that stage as per Duckwork-Lewis method.

India made one change with Ishanth replacing RP Singh. England brought in off spinner Swann in place of Harmison.

Winning the toss in a delayed start match, England decided to bat first. The match was delayed due to bad weather and was reduced to 49-overs. The start was slow in the first six overs, but Bell and Bopara took it to more than 5 runs an over in 13 overs. Bell was out in the 15th over caught behind off Munaf when tried to steer the ball to third man.

Harbhajan picked 3 wickets including a beautiful doosra which deceived Collingwood. He was short of his crease and Dhoni stumped him quickly. When he dismissed Shah caught by Zaheer Khan, he reached the milestone of 200 wickets in ODI. He recently touched the 300 wicket mark in Test Cricket against Australia when he clean bowled Ricky Ponting in the fourth test.

England were all out for 240 in the last over. The start was not that good with Gambhir getting out for 14 when the score was 31. Raina once again failed, bowled by Broad for 1. An important innings is expected from Rohit Sharma to save his place in the side, but he got out for 28. He played well, looked solid, but edged the ball when tried to cut the short ball of Swann.

Yuvaraj Singh scored 38 with one six and got out Flintoff. India were 177 for 5 and needed 54 runs 13 overs. Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan added unbeaten 21 when bad light stopped play.

During the last few overs before play was stopped, India was ahead always in the D/L method. At the end of 40 overs, with 5 wickets lost, India should have scored 182 and they were ahead by 16 runs.

Kevin Pietersen was not happy and was seen discussing with the umpires. Finally he shook hands and moved away conceding defeat.

Harbhajan was adjudged as man of the match for his spell of 10-2-31-3.

Scoreboard:

Match: 3rd ODI
Venue: Green Park, Kanput
Teams: India and England
Captains: MS Dhoni and Kevin Pietersen
Toss: England won the toss and decided to bat
Match Result: India won by 16 runs by D/L method
Series Result: India leading by 3-0
Man of the Match: Harbhajan Singh (India)
Overs: Start delayed due to bad weather; match started with 49-overs a side

England 240 all out in 48.4 overs (Bopara 60, Bell 46, Pietersen 13, Collingwood 1, Flintoff 26, Shah 40, Patel 26, Prior 5, Swann 5 not out, Broad 0, Anderson 1, Extras--17 (lb 3, w 9, nb 5), Zaheer Khan 10-0-45-1, Munaf Patel 6.4-0-36-2, I Shrama 9-0-60-2, Yuvaraj Singh 10-0-54-1, Harbhajan Singh 10-2-31-3, Yousuf Pathan 2-0-7-1, Sehwag 1-0-4-0)

Fall of Wickets: 1-79 (Bell, 14.3 ov), 2-102 (Pietersen, 19.1 ov), 3-106 (Collingwood, 21.2 ov), 4-133 (Bopara, 28.5 ov), 5-167 (Flintoff, 36.2 ov), 6-203 (Shah, 43.4 ov), 7-231 (Patel, 46.4 ov), 8-231 (Prior, 46.5 ov), 9-235 (Broad, 47.5 ov), 10-240 (Anderson, 48.4 ov)

India 198 for 5 in 40 overs (India won by D/L Method: Target 182 in 40 overs) (Gambhir 14, Sehwag 68, Raina 1, Rohit Sharma 28, Yuvaraj 38, MS Dhoni 29 not out, Y Pathan 12 not out, Extras--8 (lb 5, w 3), Anderson 6-0-47-0, Broad 9-2-36-1, Flintoff 9-0-31-3, Swann 10-0-47-1, Patel 3-0-18-0, Pietersen 3-0-14-0)

Fall of Wickets: 1-31 (Gambhir, 6.5 ov), 2-34 (Raina, 9.1 ov), 3-107 (RG Sharma, 22.4 ov), 4-125 (Sehwag, 25.2 ov), 5-177 (Yuvraj Singh, 35.6 ov)