India keep winning as :

Sehwag upstages Pietersen

Virender Sehwag hammered a quickfire 91 to power India to an emphatic six-wicket victory over England in the fifth one-day international here on Wednesday.

The aggressive opener hit one six and 15 fours in a 73-ball knock his fourth half-century in five matches as India surpassed England’s total of 270-4 with 6.2 overs to spare for a 5-0 lead in the seven-match series.

Sehwag also upstaged England skipper Kevin Pietersen, who smashed a superb 111 not out for his seventh one-day hundred to help his team post a competitive total in the day-night match.

“I thought 270 was very competitive. It was a bit of a nightmare dealing with the dew in the evening. But they won the toss and decided to field first,” said Pietersen.

“We have been outplayed again by Sehwag. He is such a great player and it was a great knock. It was tough for the bowlers.” Sachin Tendulkar (50) and Sehwag helped India seize the initiative by putting on 136 for the opening wicket off just 19.5 overs, both scoring freely.

Man-of-the-match Sehwag dominated the England attack with attractive strokeplay, once hitting three fours and a six in an over from off-spinner Graeme Swann.

India were under pressure for a brief period when they slipped to 156-3, but Suresh Raina (53 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50) ensured victory with a 94-run stand for the fourth wicket.

England Paceman Steve Harmison provided the breakthrough when he removed Tendulkar, who was bowled while attempting to drive. The Indian batsman hit six fours in his 57-ball knock.

Ravi Bopara held a return catch to dismiss in-form Yuvraj Singh (six) and then fast bowler Stuart Broad trapped Sehwag leg-before.

“The asking rate was quite down (even after losing three wickets). The light was low and it was difficult to sight the ball. It was moist and losing colour, but once you are set you can rotate the strike,” said Dhoni.

“We did not get the best of starts from the new-ball bowlers but in the middle overs the spinners did the job. In the end, our bowlers did a splendid job as they restricted England to 270 when they looked like getting 300.” Pietersen earlier led from the front with a solid 128-ball knock, containing one six and 10 fours. He added 89 for the third wicket with Paul Collingwood (40) and 112 for the unfinished fifth wicket with Owais Shah (66 not out).

Shah struck nine fours in his 57-ball innings for a second successive half-century as England scored 74 runs in the last 10 overs.

England raced to 68 in the opening 10 overs after being put in to bat, but lost openers Bopara (24) and Alastair Cook (11) to left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan.

The run-rate declined after off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and part-time spinner Yuvraj were pressed into the attack as the tourists could manage only 37 in the next 10 overs.

Yuvraj conceded 38 runs in his 10 overs and Harbhajan 47 in 10.

The sixth one-dayer is in Guwahati on Saturday.

CUTTACK, Thursday (AFP)

ENGLAND

R. Bopara c Yuvraj b Zaheer		 24
A. Cook c Tendulkar b Zaheer		 11
K. Pietersen not out			111
P. Collingwood c Zaheer b Harbhajan	 40
A. Flintoff c Tendulkar b Sharma  	  0
O. Shah not out 			 66
EXTRAS (LB-14, W-4)			 18
TOTAL (for four wickets)		270
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-33 (Cook), 2-68 (Bopara), 3-157 (Collingwood), 4-158 (Flintoff).
BOWLING: I. Pathan 10-1-57-0, Zaheer 10-1-60-2 (w3), 
Sharma 10-0-54-1, Harbhajan 10-0-47-1 (w1), Yuvraj 10-0-38-0.
Overs: 50

INDIA

V. Sehwag lbw b Broad			91
S. Tendulkar b Harmison			50
Y. Singh c and b Bopara			 6
MS Dhoni lbw b Swann  			50
S. Raina not out 			53
R. Sharma not out  			 8
EXTRAS (LB-5, NB-2, W-8)		15
TOTAL (for four wickets) 		273
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-136 (Tendulkar), 2-156 (Yuvraj), 3-156 (Sehwag), 4-250 (Dhoni). 
BOWLING: Harmison 10-1-50-1 (w2), Broad 8.4-0-54-1 (w2), Flintoff 9-0-43-0, 
Patel 3-0-23-0 (w1), Swann 7-0-56-1 (w2), Bopara 6-1-42-1 (nb1, w1).