Cricket story by Vinnie Mitchell, Tue, 04 Apr 2006 12:12:00 GMT


GOA - Andrew Flintoff's inexperienced England team lost for the third successive time in as many matches in the ongoing seven-match TVS Cup One-Day International series against India at Goa yesterday. England were without Kevin Pietersen who was taken ill on the morning of the match. If it was Suresh Raina who took away the game from the Englishmen in Faridabad, it was Yuvraj Singh who repeated the act in Goa.

Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bat on a newly laid wicket at the Nehru Stadium, which also doubles as a football ground. The wicket was typically slow and low and England erred by not picking Gareth Batty for the second time in this series. Virender Sehwag's wretched run continued as he fell to James Anderson for 15.

Thereafter skipper Rahul Dravid and Irfan Pathan put on a stand of 78 runs before Dravid fell for 46 off Collingwood. India were reduced to 130 for 4 as Pathan and Kaif fell quickly. A 142-run fifth wicket stand between Yuvraj and Raina ensured that India went on to a commanding total of 294-6. Yuvraj notched up his seventh hundred in ODIs, while Raina made a second consecutive 50.

England started disastrously as Strauss went for 7 caught off Dhoni by Pathan. The latter's first spell proved decisive as he got rid of Blackwell and Shah rapidly. England's misery was compounded when Flintoff holed out to Sehwag off Powar. Collingwood scripted a fighting 93, but it was too late and Agarkar polished off the tail as India won by 49 runs.

England captain Andrew Flintoff felt that his team could still bounce back, "There are four games left and we still have to believe we can get into the series," Flintoff said. "We always play with pride, there is a mountain to climb but the lads want to do it and so do I." Indian captain Rahul Dravid was happy with his team's performance, "Everyone on the team has been contributing, we have some good momentum going and we're winning from difficult situations."

Match Summary
India 294-6 - Yuvraj 103, Raina 61
England 245 all out - Collingwood 93, Pathan 4-51
Man of the Match - Yuvraj Singh

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