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Images: Dhoni fires India to a convincing win
India finally got back to winning ways, beating England by 126 runs in a lop-sided first One-day International in Hyderabad on Friday.
Riding high on a blistering 87 by skipper MS Dhoni, coupled with Suresh Raina's 55-ball 61, India posted a mammoth 330 for seven and then skittled out the visitors for only 174 runs in 36.1 overs, at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium.
This was India's first victory after a losing streak of 10 international matches that includes five ODIs (last two ODIs in the West Indies), four Tests and one T20 international.
The wicket got slower with the passage of time and India's newest spin-twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja tightened the noose on England batsmen, sharing six wickets between them.
England get lucky breakthrough
England's bowlers kept Indian openers Ajinkya Rahane and Parthiv Patel quiet for major part of the initial overs.
But the visitors got a lucky breakthrough when they found Parthiv short of his crease. The left-hander had backed up a bit too far after Rahane hit a straight drive off Steven Finn, but the bowler got a hand to the ball on his follow through.
The stage was set for Rahane to fire after he got a life in the second over, as Jonathan Trott at first slip dropped him off Finn's bowling. He was yet to open his account then.
Dernbach dismisses Gambhir
However, the Mumbai youngster went into a shell and found it difficult to even push through the gaps for singles.
Gautam Gambhir, playing his first international match after recovering from the concussion he sufffered in England, hit a few crisp shots, including a square drive off Bresnan. The Delhi left-hander was intent on keeping the scoreboard ticking although the boundaries were few and far between.
But then Jade Dernbach provided the breakthrough as he trapped Gambhir plumb in front of the stumps.
It was slow full-toss coming from the back of the hand and Gambhir completely missed the line of the ball. He was hit on the pad -- the ball would have crashed into leg-stump.
Kohli, Raina combine well
After the early blows, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli played some quiet overs, but made sure the scoreboard kept ticking.
England could have picked another wicket -- that of Suresh Raina -- had third umpire Sudhir Ashani given a close one out.
Samit Patel, like Finn, managed to get a hand on to the ball, but the replays showed some doubt as to whether Raina's bat was in the crease at the time when the bails were dislodged.
Spinners Samit Patel and Graeme Swann tied down the Indian batsmen. Kohli was eventually caught in the deep by Kevin Pietersen for a well-made 33.
Raina, Dhoni punish England bowlers in Powerplays
Raina counter-attacked in the mandatory batting Powerplay, from the 36th to 40th over, and opened the floodgates as India scored 59 runs in those five overs.
He hit his customary aerial shots in the arc between extra cover and mid-wicket while Dhoni also hammered Dernbach, Finn and Tim Bresnan with ease.
Raina completed his half century with a six off Bresnan's bowling. He was finally caught by Bairstow, while going in for another big hit. His 61 had five fours and two sixes.
Dhoni uses long handle to good effect
Once Raina departed, Dhoni took it upon himself to punish the English bowlers.
He and Ravindra Jadeja made sure India would go to 300.
Dhoni soon posted his fourth half-century in consecutive ODIs to give India a real chance of earning their first victory at the venue.
England's seamers bore the brunt of his assault, with Graeme Swann emerging the star of the attack with 1 for 35 in 10 overs.
This was India's second consecutive 300-run score after the 304 for 6 at Cardiff.
Praveen Kumar provides the breakthrough
Chasing 301 for victory, England would have hoped for a good start, but that was not to be. Praveen Kumar struck early, dismissing the dangerous Craig Kieswetter for just seven runs.
Kieswetter had hit a crisp boundary, but then he poked at an out-swinger and was safely pouched by Dhoni behind the stumps.
Kevin Pietersen, who was due for a big score, looked rattled in the middle by couple of short deliveries by Vinay Kumar. But brilliant work from R Ashwin ensured that he was on his way back for 19.
Pietersen hit one firmly and took off, without realizing that he had timed the ball too well to mid-on. Ashwin picked the ball and hit the base of stumps much to the delight of Indian fans.
Cook, Trott steady England innings
Skipper Alastair Cook and Johanthan Trott started the repair work for England, scoring at a brisk pace. The duo added 71 runs for the third wicket, before Ravindra Jadeja broke the stand.
Cook, in the process, soon brought up his half-century and was looking good to take the team to victory.
But left-armer Jadeja first had Cook hole out in the deep to Vinay Kumar, and then castled Trott for 26.
Spinners tighten grip on the match
Jadeja and R Ashwin took the game away from England, bowling a tight line and picking wickets at regular intervals.
Ashwin had Ravi Bopara hitting straight to him for just 8. Jadeja had Jonny Bairstow offer a simple catch to the bowler.
Ashwin then had the dangerous Tim Bresnan stumped for just four.
India register a convincing win
Umesh Yadav too got into the act, cleaning up the tail.
He was impressive, picking the wickets of Graeme Swann and Samit Patel.
And when Ashwin castled last man Jade Dernbach, it meant India had registered a massive 126-runs win.
This was India's first victory after a losing streak of 10 international matches that includes five ODIs (last two ODIs in West Indies), four Tests and one T20 international.