July 01  
Inspired Yuvraj leads India to win

LONDON: India won the second triangular One-day International against England by six wickets on Saturday, spearheaded by all-rounder Yuvraj Singh who took three wickets and scored a powerful 64. Yuvraj's unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 131 from 128 balls with Rahul Dravid brought India back into the game after top batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Mongia had gone for just one run apiece.

Dravid scored the winning run off a no-ball with seven balls to spare, overhauling England's total of 271-7 and sparking noisy celebrations among the large contingent of India supporters at Lord's. A sparkling 71 off 65 balls from young India batsman Virender Sehwag had given his side a fine start to the chase, but the visitors lost three wickets in nine runs off 31 balls, to put England back in the match.

England captain Nasser Hussain won the toss and chose to bat first on a good wicket, two days after winning the first match of the series by 44 runs against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge. Sehwag, 23, who says he has modelled himself on master stroke player Tendulkar, peppered the ground with boundaries, with his captain Saurav Ganguly playing a supporting role.

The pair reached 50 in 50 balls and 100 in 88 as England bowlers, Matthew Hoggard, James Kirtley, Andrew Flintoff and Ashley Giles were punished in turn. Sehwag rashly flighted Giles to the mid-wicket boundary in the 18th over and was magnificently caught by Marcus Trescothick diving to his right.

Two overs later England took back some control when Giles bowled Mongia and they picked up Tendulkar's prize wicket in the 23rd when Irani trapped him lbw. James Kirtley took the catch of his life to dismiss Ganguly in the 28th over off Giles, running round from third man to throw himself towards the ball and catch it left-handed sliding along the grass. India were then 141-4.

England looked to have pinned the visitors down but Yuvraj and Dravid slowly built back the innings as England missed three run-out chances. Dravid finished 73 not out. Earlier Trescothick, with a brisk 86, gave England a fine start but the home side failed to cash in fully. "I think we should have got over 300," said Hussain. "We batted a little bit below par in those (final) overs and also they bowled extremely well at the death."

Tight bowling from Zahir Khan and Ajit Agarkar restricted England in the latter overs after the first 100 had been posted in 103 balls and the second after 204. Trescothick was finally caught behind off a slower ball from Ganguly after fellow-opener Nick Knight had been run out for 31 in the 14th over when the pair embarked on a risky second run to backward square off Anil Kumble.

Andrew Flintoff, who scored England's fastest ever one-day 50 in his innings at Trent Bridge, drove in the air and was caught by Mongia diving at extra cover off Yuvraj in the 35th over. His 22 came in 20 balls with three fours. Three overs later left-hander Graham Thorpe was caught by Sehwag at short third man off Yuvraj and in the 40th over Hussain misjudged a sweep and was stumped by Dravid off the same bowler.

The captain was out for 54 and his side had tumbled to 222-5 from 200-2. India, cheered by their vocal following, pinned Alec Stewart and Ronnie Irani back until Irani was run out for 12 by Mohammad Kaif chasing a second run for Stewart.

Stewart was skilfully restricted by the Indian attack and at one point fell over his bat digging out an Agarkar yorker. Collingwood was caught in the final over and Stewart, top-scorer at Trent Bridge with 83, finished on 28 not out. Yuvraj took three wickets for 39 off seven overs and was later named man of the match.