Life is a Rollercoaster - England Story

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First T20

Wright retains his opening berth alongside Davies in T20s. With him Woakes, Flintoff,, Broad and Anderson in the same lineup England have plenty of pace options with Patel and Swann the two spinners selected.

Pakistan win the toss and put England in to bat.
Davies gets England off to a good start but Wright, Pietersen and Bopara come and go. Morgan tanks over after Davies departs holds the innings together.

With the help of Patel and later, Swann, he gets England to a total of 156.

England keep Pakistan below the rate with Anderson, Flintoff and Broad impressing during the powerplay. Despite going for 16 in his first over Swann take 3-10 in his next three to put England in a commanding postion. THe return of Broad heralds the end for Pakistan as he take the last 3 wickets in 2 overs to seal the win.

England win by 40 runs
Man of the Match - Swann
England Man of the Match - Morgan, without his innings the batting could've easily fallen apart and Pakistan would've been chasing around 100.
Other Notable Mentions - Swann, Patel, Broad
Poor Game - Wright, Pietersen, Bopara

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Second T20

England retain the same side for the second T20.

England win the toss and this time choose themselves to bat.
Wright gets England off to a good start as Davies struggles. Pietersen plays a useful innings in the middle overs while Bopara goes along strongly.

Morgan, Patel and Flintoff give support Bopara late on as he brings up his 50 in the final over.

Englands pace attack rips through Pakistans to order. Tanvir and Afridi mount a revival but the return of Flintoff puts a halt to that as he finishes off the tail in good order.

England win by 52 runs
Man of the Match - Bopara
England Man of the Match - Bopara, good innings and an impressive strike rate and bowled a solid over when called upon.
Other Notable Mentions - Wright, Pietersen, Flintoff, Patel, Anderson
Poor Game - Swann, Morgan

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First ODI

Cook retains his place at the top of the order and captains the side. Bell also comes into the side after missing out in the T20s. Patel also comes into the side adding depth to the batting lineup and also sharing fifth bowler responsabilites with Bopara and Pietersen.

England win the toss and bat.
England lose three early wickets in the opening powerplay. Cook and Bell begin to repair the damage and put England back on track with Bell scoring freely.

They make it to 77 before Cook edges to the keeper trying to sweep Munir for 42. Bell carries on without him but England continue to lose wickets and collapse to 161 all out with Bell top scoring with 72.

Knowing they will have to bowl out their oppostion in order to win England's bowlers go on the offensive, limiting Pakistan to 22/3 after 10 overs. Broad and Bopara back up the opening bowlers with 3 further wickets between them. Swann gets another and Flintoff returns to the attack to take two wickets in an over. Swann finishes the job soon after to bowl Pakistan out for 90 and complete an unlikely comfortable victory.

England win by 71 runs
Man of the Match - Tanvir
England Man of the Match - Bell, batting was difficult and while the rest of the batting order fell around him he continued to score runs.
Other Notable Mentions - Cook, Anderson, Flintoff, Swann, Broad
Poor Game - Davies, Pietersen, Morgan

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Second ODI

England stick with the same side that won the last game.

Pakistan win the toss and put England in to bat.
Again England lose Davies early but this time Pietersen sticks around for a while. Cook gets another decent score but fails to go on as England lose Pietersen, Bopara and the captain himself in the space of 4 overs. Bell struggles to score and is eventually out after scoring 3 runs off 35 balls in the 27th over with England on 89/5.

Enter Samit Patel. He immediatly gets the innings going and supported by Morgan and Flintoff he scores 109 off 79 balls to propel England to 259/6. With England scoring 170 in the last 23 overs.

Anderson strikes in the first over and from that moment on Pakistan never looked like threatening Englands total. Patel fittingly takes the final wicket to round off a stunning performance.

England win by 135 runs
Man of the Match - Patel
England Man of the Match - Patel, to score a century from 7 is exceptional.
Other Notable Mentions - Cook, Morgan, Flintoff, Broad
Poor Game - Bopara, Bell, Davies

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Third ODI

Again England select the same team.

England win the toss and choose to bat first.
Englnad lose Cook early but Davies makes a run a ball 50 to give England a good start. With Davies the aggressor Pietersen takes his time playing himself in.

He doesn't take long though and starts to catch up with Davies. Davies can't go on to his first ODI century. He makes 93 off 91 with 10 fours and 4 sixes, out in the 31st over after a 171 run partnership. Pietersen, though, does move onto his cenutry soon after but is run out during the powerplay for 111 off 110 with 14 fours and 1 six. Late contributions from Bell and Flintoff push England up to 329, all out in the last over.

With Pakistan needing 330 to stay in the series they need a good start. They get that with the openers taking full advantage of the fielding restrictions in the opening powerplay. Bopara halts the momentum by taking 3 wickets in the bowling powerplay. Pakistan continue at the rate though attacking the spinners until 2 wickets in an over from Swann pegs them back once more. But a century from Ghumman and a run a ball 88 from Afridi see Pakistan home in the penultimate over to keep the series alive.

Pakistan win by 3 wickets
Man of the Match - Afridi
England Man of the Match - Pietersen, great century, should've been on the winning side, maybe should've gone on to 150 and probably would've done if not for the run out.
Other Notable Mentions - Davies
Poor Game - Cook, Anderson, Broad

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Fourth ODI

Only one change for England and it's in the batting order with Bell moving above Bopara.

Pakistan win the toss and choose to bat.
It looks to be a mistake as Anderson strikes in the first over. Flintoff keeps up the pressure and despite a poor first over Broad puts the squeeze on Pakistan with all the seamers taking wickets to leave Pakistan 54/5 after 15 overs.

The slower bowlers keep up the pressure, each going under three RPO with Bopara and Swann each picking up a brace of wickets. By the time the quick bowlers are next required in the last ten overs Pakistan are 9 down. Anderson wraps up the innings with Pakistan all out for 124.

Englands chase doesn't start well with Davies out early on. Pakistan take wickets regularly but the run rate of 2.5 RPO never looks beyond England as the take an unassailable lead in the series with one game left to play.

England win by 5 wickets
Man of the Match - Anderson
England Man of the Match - Anderson, though it could've gone to any of the bowlers Anderson struck early putting Pakistan on the back foot from the off.
Other Notable Mentions - Flintoff, Broad, Bopara, Patel, Swann, Pietersen
Poor Game - Davies

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Fifth ODI

Wright comes in for the disappointing Morgan for the final game of the English summer.

England win the toss and bat.
They start well with the openers reaching 95 before Davies is out for a run a ball 48. Pietersen dominates the next partnership making 44 from 40 but can't go on to a big score.

Bell gets a duck and Bopara just 18. Cook goes on to bring up his century off 110 balls but loses his wicket next over for 108. But with nobody else making a score over 20 and Pakistan taking wickets England are bowled out for 286.

Englands quick bowlers take early wickets yet again and despite Jamshed and Tanvir mounting a recovery Englands spinners finish the job.

England win by 124 runs
Man of the Match - Cook
England Man of the Match - Cook, held the innings together and made his highest score in ODIs in the process.
Other Notable Mentions - Davies, Pietersen, Anderson, Flintoff, Broad
Poor Game - Bell, Bopara, Patel

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Series Reaction
England win the series 4-1

Huge improvement in the sides one day cricket since the 5-0 whitewash at the hands of India earlier in the series. The batsman did alot better with 3 hundreds being scored while the bowlers bowled alot more economically this series. They showed the importance of taking wickets to keep the batting side under pressure.

Man of the Series - Pietersen. He scored two fiftys and one century in 5 games and though he only just outscored Cook his runs came at a higher strike rate.


Magic Moment - Patel's century in the second game. Brilliant innings.

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The ECB Selection Committee has announced the 18 man Test squad to tour India:

ECB Selection Committee
A Strauss*
T Ambrose
J Anderson
I Bell
R Bopara
S Broad
J Clare
J Cobb
A Cook
S Davies
S Finn
P Horton
G Onions
S Patel
K Pietersen
A Rashid
G Swann
C Woakes

After his hundred in the ODI series against Pakistan Patel steps up into the full Test squad and could provide the second spin option needed on the sub-continent without weakening the batting order. The top six from the last series retain their places in the squad. With Patel also in the side only one more batsman was needed. Trott, Moore and Carrbury considered but in the end Lancashire's Paul Horton was picked. Rashid and Swann are again picked as the sides two spinners leaving 6 pace bowling places. Anderson and Broad take up the first two spaces with Woakes and Finn also in the squad. Onions was chosen ahead of Plunkett, Tremlett and Mahmood while Clare's impressive form with both bat and ball this summer make him an obvious choice as the squads pace bowling all-rounder though Wright, again can feel hard done by to be left out with Harris also coming into consideration.

To kick off the tour England play a warm-up game against Mumbai.

England Team to play Mumbai
Strauss*, Cook, Bopara, Pietersen, Bell, Patel, Ambrose^, Broad, Swann, Woakes, Anderson

Mumbai - Bat

Mumbai - 161(Anderson 1/31,Woakes 6/40, Broad 1/57, Swann 2/30, Patel 0/3)
England - 226/2(Strauss 4, Cook 101*, Bopara 5, Pietersen 110*)
Mumbai - 139/4(Anderson 1/37,Woakes 2/26, Broad 1/47, Swann 0/24, Patel 0/5)

Man of the Match - Woakes

Day 2 and 3 heavily disrupted by rain (4 hours 55 minutes lost)

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First Test

England play the same team as in the warm-up match, the same team as in the last Test at home to Pakistan but with Patel coming into the side in place of Cobb as the sides number 6 batsman and second spin option.

England win the toss and bat.
England make it to lunch 100/1 with Strauss run out on 37. Cook falls the first over after lunch for 54. Bopara makes 45 as wickets tumble at his end. At the other end, meanwhile, Pietersen looks in fine form bringing up his century just before the close of play on day one. He goes on to 152 the next morning with England all out for 396.

Englands pace bowlers provide the main threat to India's batting line-up with only Gambhir and Rahane providing much resistance. The latter helps India narrowly avoid the follow-on with Broad taking 5 wickets and Woakes 3. Anderson and Swann share the other two with England bowling India out on the third morning for 215.
England, already with a lead of 181, start their second innings well with a 119 partnership for the first wicket before Strauss is out for 71. Bopara make 13 and Pietersen 35 but another century partnership between Cook and Bell puts England firmly in command. Cook puts his disapointing summer behind him with his first cenutry of the season. He makes 143. Bell presses on to a 159 ball hundred as England declare on 431/7 a lead of 612 with over 4 session left in the match.

India make it to the end of the day on 145/1 with Woakes picking up a wicket in the final over. They continue to bat well the next day and England find wickets hard to come by with Broad looking like a completely differnet bowler to the one which took 5 wickets in the first innings. India reach the end of the day with 5 wickets down to grind out a draw.

England Man of the Match - Cook, decent score in the first innings and a big hundred in the second means he just edges it from the equally impressive Pietersen.
Other Notable Mentions - Pietersen, Strauss, Bell, Broad
Poor Game - Ambrose, Patel, Swann, Anderson

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Second Test

England retain the same team from the last Test.

India win the toss and bat.
India get off to a good start on a difficult wicket with England getting their first breakthrough through a run-out. It is their only wicket before lunch but Broad strikes in the first over after the break. Woakes picks up another with Swann also taking wickets in the afternoon session. Patel Patel takes the prize wicket of Tendulkar just before tea. England start the next session well too with with two further wickets from Broad. Swann also picks up his third. The innings ends with a second run-out with India reaching a total of 251.
England lose one wicket late on the first day, Strauss for 6. Cook and Bopara bat well the next morning but Bopara doesn't see out the session making 57. Pietersen gets a golden duck and Bell quickly follows him in the next over. A 75 run partnership sees England recover but just before tea they lose their fifth wicket, Patel for 39. Ambrose fails to make it to tea also, edging to the slip in the last over. England lose just the wicket of Broad in the last session of day two as Cook goes on to make a very patient century in the last few overs of the day with England just 4 runs behind.

He goes on to 117 the next day with Swann making a useful 29 to give England a lead of 33.
India again start well, this time with a century partnership but and England fightback with 3 wickets from Broad and 2 from Swann sees India finish day three 202/5. England get a good start a good start on day four with Anderson swinging the old ball. He takes 3 wickets with the first 4 balls of the day, all edged to slip.

India last till lunch but Woakes takes the last two wickets leaving England a tough chase of 266.
England lose Cook and Bopara early on but Strauss and Pietersen bat out the rest of the day. England start the final day still requiring 134 runs but with 8 wickets in tact. Strauss makes 85 but is out with England still 89 runs short. England lose their fourth and fifth wickets in the same over, Bell and Patel but they make it to lunch needing 62 to win. Pietersen finally falls for 86 and Ambrose is close behind him with England 52 from victory but with only 3 wickets remaining. England edge closer but the tail can't see them over the line and are bowled out 35 runs short.

England Man of the Match - Cook, scored a century in tough condidtions while wickets fell at the other end.
Other Notable Mentions - Strauss, Pietersen, Broad
Poor Game - Bell

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Third Test

England again select same team from the last Test for the third and final Test of the series.

India win the toss and bat.
They make full use of the flat pitch reaching 386/5 by the end of the first day with Rahane making 188 and Broad the most sucessful of the bowlers with 2 wickets, Woakes, Patel and Swann taking the other 3. Anderson makes amends for his poor day wrapping up the India innings for 435 the next morning with 5 wickets in his opening spell.
England survive till lunch be Strauss falls for 33 soon after. Bopara makes 11. Cook and Pietersen rebuild but both are out before the end of the day for 53 and 50 respectively with England 179/4. They both bat for most of the next day, Patel with his first Test century with Bell also reaching three figures soon after.

They carry on till just before the end of the day when Bell is finally out for 169 after an all-time England record sixth wicket partnership of 346. Patel falls the next morning agonisingly short of his double century when he is bowled for 199. A quick 69 from Broad sees England to 633, a lead of 198 with only 5 sessions left in the game.
India start well but Woakes picks up 2 wickets before tea. Anderson takes 2 more after the break and Swann picks up another to leave India 241/5 at the end of day 4.

A good partnership between Tendulkar and Sehwag edges India to safety. But Tendulkar falls just after reaching his century and Sehwag is run out later in the same over. England's bowlers finish India off leaving England a chase of 197 with a session and 31 minutes left in the Test.
To get anything from the series England must win the game. The openers start well and reach tea 162 away from victory without losing a wicket but Cook falls soon after the break. A quickfire 43 from 26 from Bopara puts England on track but India peg England back taking the wickets of Strauss, Pietersen and Bopara. Bell and Patel carry on their good form from the first innings and a 97 run partnership puts England 8 runs from victory with only a few overs left. THey both lose their wickets in the same over though and it's left to Ambrose and Broad to hit the winning runs with an over to spare as England level the series.

England Man of the Match - Patel, after a poor start to his Test career he certainly showed his worth in this game with 199 and 52 and a wicket to help England claim victory.
Other Notable Mentions - Bell, Broad, Anderson
Poor Game - Swann, Ambrose

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Series Reaction
Series drawn 1-1

With losing the last four Test series' it's nice to break that cycle before going to New Zealand which you would think is a much more winnable series. For most of the series we really competed with India and most of the of the players played well. Swann wasn't quite as effective as he would hoped to have been on tunring pitches but the seamers performed well with Broad and Anderson impressive more often than disappointing. The batters all peformed really well with each making at least one century. bar Strauss, who still averaged 43, and Bopara, who had a poor series. The keeper Ambrose also had a poor series and barely made a run. He could find his place in the squad in doubt for the next series. Bell and Cook were the most impressive batsmen, both averaging in the 60s but Cook just shades the man of the series award due to the importance of the runs he scored.

Man of the Series - Cook, he scored 385 runs at an average of 64.17 including 2 centuries and 2 fiftys.


Magic Moment - Anderson taking 3 wickets in the first over of the second Test on day 4. Was almost enough to swing the game Englands way.

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The ECB Selection Committee has announced the 15 man ODI squad to tour India:

ECB Selection Committee
A Cook*
J Anderson
I Bell
R Bopara
S Broad
J Clare
S Davies
A Flintoff
S Patel
K Pietersen
A Rashid
G Swann
J Trott
C Woakes
L Wright

Morgan is dropped from the last ODI squad with Trott coming into the side as his replacement. The rest of the squad retain their places with Davies probably the most fortunate to do so.

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First ODI

Cook and Davies open the batting again with Pietersen at 3. Trott plays ahead of Wright. He slots in at 4 with Bell dropping to 5 and Bopara to 6. Patel remains at 7 with the bolwing attack the same as the last ODI.

England win the toss and bat.
Englands innings is one of few big contributions but many get starts. Davies is out early for 11. Cook and Pietersen rebuild but India strike back as England lose the pair for 22 and 33 respectively. Bell is out first ball. A 46 from Bopara and 41 from Patel gives England a total of 221.

Englands opening bowlers prove expensive but Broad stems the tide of runs by picking up a wicket. Swann takes also takes a wicket but India easily manage the required rate. Anderson comes back on in the 22nd over to take a wicket.

He picks up another soon after with Flintoff also taking taking a wicket. The wickets help England's bowlers put the squeeze on India. Broad also returns with a wicket as do Swann and Patel to leave India 8 down. But India have no problems getting the remaining 28 runs to give them a 1-0 in the three match series.

India win by 2 wickets
Man of the Match - P Patel
England Man of the Match - S Patel, bowled well and scored some runs, probably should've got a few more though but was the best of an average bunch.
Other Notable Mentions - Bopara, Swann
Poor Game - Bell, Davies