Dhoni: I won't plagiarize about the result


India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni took the result of the fourth one-dayer next to England in his stride. The match broken in a tie.

Rain required the match between the two sides to end in a staged tie under the Duckworth-Lewis method, allow the hosts to clinch the five-match ODI series by taking an incontrovertible 2-0 lead, but Dhoni did not seem too upset.

"I will not crib about the tie. When the ball got wet, we had enough capital. We know Suresh Raina has fair amount of firepower and if he gets going, can obliterate any attack in the world. We have not won anything. It has been a long tour, we have one more game and we will give it our best," Dhoni said after the match.

As for Ravindra Jadeja, Dhoni said, "Jadeja is doing his job brightly. In conditions like these, it is hard for the part-timers."

Jadeja approved 60 runs for a wicket from nine overs and also made a wild overthrow in the 40th over of the innings, which helped England in scoring 15 runs.

Raina, who struck a glowing 84 off 75 balls, said, the plan was to hit the balls in his zone.

"I was batting well but not getting big scores. My game plan is simple - when I get the ball in my areas, I play my game. Unsatisfactory for Ravi to not have got the 100," Raina said.

England captain Alastair Cook, though, consideration the tie was a "fair" result.

"It was touch and go towards the end, we ended up batting for D/L, being more defensive, knocking off the singles, not sure when the rain was coming. Tie was a fair result. Great to see (Ravi) Bopara deliver on the big stage to get us a tie," Cook said.

Bopara scored 96 to bring England within touching coldness of a victory, and Cook was, understandably, grateful of his batsman's effort.

"We tried everything earlier, but that partnership (between Dhoni and Raina) was fantastic. If we had kept them to 250, we could have got there contentedly. Possibly, we missed Dernbach. We will know on (Stuart) Broad in 48 hours," Cook said.

More than lost out on a well-deserved century, Bopara was dissatisfied with the way his side had to clinch the series.

"Not an ideal way to clinch the series, with the rain around. We did not know when to go faster. Should I knock it for ones and twos, or go for the big shots, it was rough to judge. Once (Graeme) Swann got out, I thought we should really go for it towards the close. The last couple of games have been nice for me, but still a long way to go ahead," Bopara said.

Raina, Bopara star in remarkable tie

India 280 for 5 (Raina 84, Dhoni 78*) tied with England 270 for 8 in 48.5 overs (Bopara 96, Bell 54) (D/L method)


Rain came stuck between India and a likely win as England were left with 11 runs to win with successfully just one wicket in hand in the dying moments at Lord's.

It was Bangalore revisited for India and England who played their second tie in six months as the fourth one day international (ODI) broken with honors joint when rain stopped play for the third and final time at Lord's on Sunday.

The hosts were 270/8 in 48.5 over’s in reply to India's total of 280/5 off 50 over’s when yet another downpour bring events to a premature end, thereby handing the series to England as a result of their wins in the second and third ODIs at Southampton and Oval after the first match at Chester-le-Street was washed out.

Ravi Bopara (96) and Suresh Raina (84) common the man of the match award as it was Deja Vu time for the two sides that played out a tie at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy stadium on 27th Februray in the World Cup previous this year.

Earlier, Ian Bell and Bopara brought up their own half centuries and put on 98 runs for the fourth wicket to lead England's recovery.

RP Singh got the wickets of both England openers, Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter as the hosts went about their chase of 281 for victory.

Kieswetter who made 12 was caught by Jadeja who took a at ease running catch after the England wicketkeeper charged down the wicket to hit the bowler out of the ground.

Cook was immovable by Virat Kohli at the extra-cover region when he played at one away from his body and failed to keep the ball on the ground. The England captain was also out for 12.

Jonathan Trott and Bell then shared a brief partnership for the third wicket before Trott was bowled by Praveen Kumar for 23 when he chop one on to his stumps in an attempt to pull a short ball.

Ravindra Jadeja got the all significant wicket of Bell when he had the England middle order batsman caught by Manoj Tiwary for 54. Bell faced 73 balls and strike three boundaries.

The hosts then lost half their side when Ben Stokes was caught and bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin for seven.

The next man to go was Tim Bresnan who was knock over by RP Singh after smashing 27 off 22 balls.

England lost back to back wickets of Graeme Swann (31) and Bopara, who missed out on his maiden ton after the rain break as the world champions fought back bravely towards the fag end of the match.

However, the rain return this time for the final time as the match was confirmed a tie.

Earlier, fine half centuries from skipper MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina boosted India's total to a healthy 280/5.

The Indian duo also added a record 169 runs, which was instrumental in helping India recover from twin blows and launch an unpleasant in the last 10 overs, which shaped 109 runs.

Graeme Swann (2/49) and Stuart broad (2/52) were the main wicket-takers for England.

Hafeez power Pakistan to a enormous win


A victorious century from Mohammad Hafeez powered Pakistan to a 10-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second one-day international in Harare.

Hafeez hit 139 not out off 147 balls, his best in ODIs, combine with Imran Farhat (75no) to amass the uppermost opening stand at Harare Sports Club as the tourists chase down their target of 226 with 7.5 over’s to spare.

That stand eclipse the 104 partnership compiled by Hamilton Masakadza (68) and Brendan Taylor (50) which formed the spine of Zimbabwe's 225 for six but, in its walker pace, ensured Pakistan would have a relatively simple chase.

The day started badly for Zimbabwe as Chamu Chibhabha herd Sohail Tanvir to mid-off and Vusi Sibanda was caught behind after edging an attempted pull off Aizaz Cheema.

That sent Taylor and, in exacting, Masakadza into survival mode with boundaries at a premium.

Taylor reach 50 by glancing Junaid Khan for two but rotten two balls later as his uppercut found third man having faced 76 balls.

Masakadza's innings was even more tortuous, although he did heave Cheema for a huge six three balls before being run out, having faced 118 deliveries.

It was left for Tatenda Taibu to up the rate and he did so with 26 off 32, while Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura and Prosper Utseya all reached twice figures at better than a run a ball.

Pakistan were satisfied to bide their time at the start of their reply, but once Farhat hit consecutive fours at the start of the ninth over, bowled by Chris Mpofu, the chase was on.

Hafeez drove Chigumbura for four to take his side past 50, and took two off the same bowler to reach the score himself, moments before Pakistan reached 100.

Farhat nudge his way to 50 and when Hafeez approved 100 with a slog sweep off Ray Price, it was the signal for a new attack from the batsmen.

He approved his previous best in ODIs of 121 by taking three fours off a Brian Vitori over, then hit the winning runs by pull Mpofu for four.