Hyderabad: England made their way through to the final of the Carlton Tri series against Australia, beating the Indians by 3 wickets.
In reply to India’s 200, Ian Bell and Ali began the proceedings for England. The Indians struck in the 3rd over, with Mohit Sharma removing Bell for 10. This was just what they would have wanted. Taylor walked into the middle, but the early strike gave India a productive couple of overs. At the 10th over, England was at 37/1, the run rate being pretty similar to the Indians, but having lost their first wicket.
Patel joined in the celebrations removing Ali in the 13th over for 17. This brought in Root, who played a blink and miss innings, deceived by Binny for 3. At the end of the 15th over, England was at 45/3. Taylor and Morgan took charge, but the partnership didn’t last, as Morgan was sent back by Binny for 2. Ravi Bopara walked in and walked out, just in a matter of a few deliveries, removed by Binny again for 4.
Taylor continued, this time partnering with Buttler, taking the score to 92/5 at the end of the 25th over, with the required run rate climbing to 4.36. The next few overs were relatively uneventful, with the singles coming in. Even though Taylor fell on a well-made 82, removed by Sharma in the 44th over, the task was over. James Buttler too fell on 67, but that didn’t stop the England team from racing away into the final.
Earlier, England won the toss and invited the Indians to bat first. In the absence of Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane made his way into the middle with Shikhar Dhawan to open the Indian innings. The first 5 overs yielded 9 runs, with a run out chance being missed by the fielding side. They continued at the same rate, managing just about a couple of boundaries within the first 10 overs, which saw them wobble to 34/0.
The English team continued bowling right on the money, making matters difficult for the Indian openers, putting a lid of the scoring rate and their confidence levels too. By the 20th over, things did not improve for the Indians, as the scoreboard slowly ticked towards 83/0 at 4.15 runs per over.
Shikhar Dhawan fell to Woakes on 38 in the next over, to bring in Virat Kohli one-down. In the meantime, Rahane brought up a rather difficult half century. Kohli, the man who played Messiah for the Indians in the Test series failed to impress yet again falling in the 28th over to Ali for 8, bringing the score to 105/2.
The next man in was Raina, who barely lasted an over, returning to the pavilion for a paltry one, done in again by Ali.
Rayudu, the new man also played a rather unimpressive innings, falling to Broad for 12, making way for the next batsman — Dhoni. It was in the 36th over that the English team struck and struck big, removing the only settled batsman, Rahane for 73, Steven Finn spelling doom for the Indians.
Stuart Binny and MS Dhoni took charge of the Indians, slamming a few quick boundaries and taking the score to 152/5 in the 17th over. However, Binny fell soon, taken by Finn for 7, bringing in Jadeja.
At the end of the 40th over, the Indians looked uncomfortably placed at 157/6. However, Dhoni fell to Anderson for 17, Jadeja walked back in the next over, scalped by Broad for 7, triggering the infamous Indian collapse.
Axar patel was sent back by Finn for 1 and even though Mohammad Shami and Mohit Sharma produced a late onslaught, yet Shami’s wicket for 27 drove the last nail in the Indian coffin, wrapping the Indian innings up at 200. Â