India embarrass England one day series

DELHI, India - Sept. 3, 2014 - PRLog -- India embarrassed England in winning the fourth one-day international by nine wickets at Edgbaston to go into the last match with a chance to whitewash the series. After dismissing the hosts for a pitiful 206, India openers Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan mercilessly hit England's bowlers around the ground to race to the target in the 31st over. Rahane made 106 from 100 balls, his first ODI century, and was out 24 runs from victory. Dhawan smashed 97 off 81 deliveries, as India scored 212-1. Dhawan's 97 included the match-winning six, blasting fast bowler Harry Gurney back over his head to secure the series win at 3-0. Rahane reached three figures when he glanced a delivery from Chris Woakes for two down to fine leg, and held his arms up and looked skyward as the crowd cheered an authoritative innings. He was removed by Gurney, caught by Alastair Cook in the covers. "It feels really special but I am really happy for the team," Rahane, who was named man of the match, said. "The bowlers initially worked really well so credit goes to the whole team." Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also singled out his fast bowlers. England's batsmen struggled against spin in the previous ODIs, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami removed England captain Cook for 9, Alex Hales for 6, and Gary Ballance for 7 between them to leave England on 23-3 after eight overs.

"They bowled in the right areas and they were quite patient," Dhoni said. "They made the job slightly easier for the spinners. It was crucial, it was important to get wickets early because that really puts pressure on the opposition. The fast bowlers worked really well." England never recovered from those early dismissals. Joe Root and Eoin Morgan took the hosts past 100 with a fourth-wicket stand of 80, but their disciplined partnership carved out of 122 balls was spoiled when Morgan fell to Ravindra Jadeja for 32. Root then top edged Suresh Raina to debutant Dhawal Kulkarni for 44, as England stumbled to 114-5. Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali looked to forge another lasting partnership, but the normally aggressive Buttler failed to get going, and was trapped lbw by Shami on 11 from 37 deliveries. Ali offered some resistance with an impressive 67 off 50 balls, including three sixes, and was the only player Cook felt played well on a forgettable day for England. "The most frustrating thing is when you don't play anywhere near your potential," Cook said. "We have to back our beliefs and work incredibly hard. Moeen is probably the only guy that has had a really good day today. When people don't score big runs or bowl in the right places, you get punished, and that is what is happening." When Ravichandran Ashwin bowled out Ali, England's tail was exposed, and India duly wrapped up the innings with a sense of routine. Raina ran out Woakes on 10 with a direct hit, Jadeja struck for the second time by clean-bowling Steven Finn for 3, and Shami finished the innings when he bowled out Gurney on 3. With the last match in the series at Headingley, India will be targeting a 4-0 whitewash.

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