India v England; 2nd ODI commentary

India win by eight wickets Eight wickets tells you this was a comfortable victory. Eighty balls remaining tells you even more. India bowled and fielded well to restrict England, and Kohli then batted quite beautifully to, assisted by Gambhir, guide his side home with ease and class. England positives: they didn't get undone by spin, Dhoni didn't get another 50 and there isn't a Test series so India can't get any proper revenge.

Over 37: Dernbach 0-1-1-4 238-2 - Fittingly it's Kohli who provides the finishing touch, whacking Dernbach through midwicket for four to give India back-to-back victories by crushing margins against an England side that tormented them so during the summer.

Over 36: Bresnan 0-1-1-1-4-1 232-2 Drop! Kohli plays the first unattractive shot of his innings, and it's almost his undoing as he heaves the ball away to deep square-leg where Trott makes a mess of a pretty routine catch. Bresnan still chirping the batsman, who is now 103 not out with his team needing but a handful of runs for a second thumping victory in a row. Kohli Lets His Bat Do The Talking, carving a short ball over point for four and scurrying a single to keep the strike. Six to win, but only 84 balls to get them.

Powerplay Mandatory powerplay. For what it's worth.

Over 35: Dernbach 0-4-0wd-1-2-1-1 225-2 - Kohli goes to 99 with yet another imperious cover-drive - he really has played that shot almost impossibly well today - before a ludicrously short bouncer from Dernbach is called wide. Back to a fuller length with one of those famous slower balls, and Kohli works it round the corner to bring up a quite beautiful century. Genuinely magnificent innings; nothing but proper, orthodox cricket strokes as he brings up the landmark in just 89 balls. Gambhir whips off his pads for a couple before getting a single to third-man. Kohli flicks to fine-leg for another single.

Over 34: Swann 4-1-4-0-1-0 215-2 - Gambhir deftly back-cuts Swann away for another boundary past the despairing Patel before Kohli moves within one blow of a century by backing away and slapping through cover with something approaching disdain.

Over 33: Bopara 0-4-0-0wd-0-1-0wd-1 205-2 - India's 200 comes up in glorious style as Kohli picks up his 12th picture-perfect boundary of the day with a whip off his pads through midwicket. Bopara bowls a couple of horrible wides in the over, each of them well snaffled by Kieswetter, who's up to the stumps, to prevent further damage. One of them, a diving effort to his left scooped up one-handed on the half-volley as Bopara gets it all wrong is particularly impressive.

Frustrated Mike "frustrated in Stafford" writes: "I know that they want to rest Jimmy Anderson, but surely with Broad out injured they need an experienced pace bowler out there? I know Bresnan has played a few but his career stats for ODI are not great and whilst Finns are better, he is lacking in matches. And who's idea was it to leave Bell out hmm?" Tricky one, really. I think given the choice England would rather not have this series at all. With no World Cup in the sub-continent for a long time to come, it has little context and has thus been earmarked as a series where weary bodies could be rested for more significant battles to come. As for Bell, he's been given countless chances in one-day cricket and never taken them. Although I suspect they'll get him into the side for game three here, perhaps even at the top of the order in place of Kieswetter with Bairstow getting the gloves.

Over 32: Finn 1-1-0-0-1-0 197-2 - Finn giving his figures a bit of a massage with a couple of quiet overs here before DRINKS. Thing is, he actually bowled far better in his first spell when he was a tad unlucky not to pick up at least one wicket. His international career is very much in its infancy, but at this stage his 'thing' seems to be taking Test wickets when bowling not that great and not taking ODI wickets when bowling well.

Over 31: Pietersen 0wd-1-1-1-1-1-1 194-2 - Gambhir and Kohli help themselves to six singles after Pietersen highlights England's general crankiness by complaining to the umpire about an entirely unremarkable decision to give a wide down the legside.

Over 30: Finn 0-0-0-2-1-1 187-2 - Finn back into the attack and goes past Kohli's outside edge. Impressive. Decent over from Finn, but still four runs from it.

Over 29: Pietersen 1-0-0-1lb-4-1 183-2 - Pietersen into the attack, and he manages to concede just the one boundary in the over. Progress. It's Kohli who hits it, and once again it's a thing of beauty as he eases a drive through the covers. Gambhir's played well, but Kohli's been on a different plane. Struggling to recall a false shot since he edged Dernbach through second slip early in his innings.

Over 28: Swann 2-0-4-0-1-4 176-2 - This is a massacre now. Two more boundaries in this over - one apiece again - as Kohli strikes gloriously over extra-cover and Gambhir hammers a cut shot that goes through Finn's legs at point. Swann looks furious, a world away from a chap thinking of genuinely risible puns for the title of an autobiography.

Over 27: Bresnan 1-0-4-0-1-4 165-2 - Gambhir picks up a quick single as a fully-committed Bairstow flicks the ball into the stumps to remove the bails and then slides on to flatten all the timbers. A run out appeal is issued, apparently in the mistaken belief that flattening the entire wicket and perhaps causing permanent stump cam/mic damage may earn extra credit. Kohli safely home there, and follows up by playing the shot of the day, standing tall and punching off the back foot through the covers. Again, the timing and placement are something to behold. Impeccable. Kohli even giving the bowler some chirp after that. Bresnan responds, but you can tell his heart's not really in it. Gambhir adds a second boundary for the over with a pull shot behind square. It's going to be 2-0 pretty soon.

Over 26: Swann 1-0-0-1-0-4wd-0 155-2 - At least England aren't drawing this out, preferring instead the relatively pain-free option of a speedy demise. Swann bungs a horrible delivery way down the legside, giving Kieswetter little chance and putting five runs on India's already imposing total.

Over 25: Patel 2-0-4-1-4-1 148-2 - This is glorious batting from this pair. They're milking the singles easily, but both still ready, willing and able to cash in when the boundary chance comes their way. Gambhir cuts hard behind point as Patel offers width before Kohli pings a cover-drive through the infield and away for four. Once again, great hands to place the ball where the fielders ain't.

Over 24: Swann 0-1-0-1-1-1 136-2 - Gambhir picks up his half-century and, despite theoretically attacking fields (two catchers in place) England are leaking singles all too easily. England just need to set a field that allows them to stop singles and boundaries, as well as take wickets. Simple really.

Over 23: Patel 0-1-0-1-1-2 132-2 - Patel into the attack, and Kohli soon picks up the single he needs to reach an excellent half-century, made at better than a run a ball yet apparently effortless. Gambhir won't be far behind him - 100 partnership's also up - as this pair continue to take the game inexorably away from England.

Over 22: Swann 0-0-1-1-1-4 127-2 - Swann back into the attack. Cook wants a short-leg, which would ordinarily be his job. But he's captain now so pulls rank and makes Trott do it. Perks of the job. After being amused by Gambhir deflecting Kohli's straight drive into the non-striker's stumps, Swann's smile is immediately wiped off by a juggling, kick-the-ball-20-yards-to-allow-a-single misfield from Bairstow at midwicket. All vestiges of good humour long gone by the time Gambhir plants the last ball over extra-cover for a beautiful boundary.

Over 21: Finn 0-0-4-0-1-3 120-2 - Gambhir flays a wide ball from Finn over the slips and down to third-man for four. Yeah, it's a top edge, but a perfectly safe shot and a pretty ordinary delivery. Kohli's sweet timing in evidence once again as he finds the gap between point and cover, but Bopara gives good pursuit and flicks the ball back just inside the rope.

Over 20: Dernbach 1-0-0-1-1-2 112-2 - Either this pair have successfully drawn the sting of England's bowlers, or England's bowlers scuppered themselves by getting sidetracked and angried up by piffle. Or both. Could well be both.

Over 19: Finn 0-0-wd-4-0-1-0-1 107-2 - Finn back into the attack, bowling seriously fast but failing to ally that speed with control. A long half-volley is blocked straight back past him for four by Kohli, who continues to impress.

Over 18: Dernbach 1-0-1-1-1-1 100-2 - Dernbach back into the attack with all his variations, which today have chiefly involved varying line and length with limited success. Five singles from the over.

Powerplay Cook, maverick leader that he is, takes the bowling powerplay a whole two overs out of whack. Tomorrow he'll be wearing his official England suit WITH THE TOP BUTTON ON HIS SHIRT UNDONE.

Over 17: Bopara 1-4-0-1-0-0 95-2 - Despite not taking the powerplay, England still have five men inside the circle. Kohli threads a glorious checked cover-drive through said fielders to pick up a boundary. England, it's fair to say, don't much care for Kohli. Winding him up may have been an error.

Over 16: Swann 0-1-1lb-0-0-1 89-2 - England hugely excited/desperate here as they attempt something of a double-play. Gambhir backs away and cuts the ball off the middle of the bat to short third-man and scampers a single. Kohli is home by a good yard when Kieswetter removes the bails. Despite the clues in that last sentence, England still bellow twin appeals: Swann, bafflingly, for leg-before and Kieswetter for a run out. The shocking refusal of the umpires to countenance either of these appeals on the grounds that they're nonsense is met by quizzical looks from the England pair. In other news: no bowling powerplay from England. Yet.

Over 15: Bopara 0-0-0wd-1-1-4-0 86-2 - Bit of Bopara with the ball now. Seems to be bowling fairly briskly in this opening over, with Kohli seeming to enjoy the pace on the ball as he pings the ball through square-leg for four with cracking timing. This partnership is now approaching the point at which any decent England stand ended with a double setback. Something similar would be handy here. Anyway, time for DRINKS.

Over 14: Swann 1-0-1-1-4-0 79-2 - Lovely shot from Gambhir here, cashing in on a hint of width from Swann to guide a late cut away to the third-man boundary. Great placement, great hands.

Over 13: Dernbach 4-1-0-1-4-1 72-2 - England had three slips at one stage for Finn but just one now. Inevitably, Kohli's thick outside edge flies precisely where a second slip would've been and away for four. Fine delivery from Dernbach, shaping away from the right-hander, but no reward. A second slip comes in when Kohli gets back on strike after a pair of singles, and the batsman responds with a thumping pull shot played well in front of square. Fine shot, but I'm not sure the captain will be thrilled to see the bowler bang the ball in short just after the slip cordon has been strengthened.

Over 12: Swann 0-0-0-2-1-1 61-2 - Swann into the attack, with a slip in place, and starts well. Three dot balls put pressure on Gambhir who comes down the track and is lucky to slice the ball to a safe spot for two runs as Swann pushes the ball wider.

Over 11: Dernbach 1-1-0-1-0-1 57-2 - Even amidst the chatter and chunter from batsmen and fielders, everyone knows their place. The new rules mean that over 11 is the start of the five-over pre-powerplay drearylull taster and as such it is mandatory to a) make a bowling change and b) score nought but singles.

Over 10: Finn 4-0-4-4-0-0 53-2 - Fabulous over of cricket here. Gambhir picks up two streaky boundaries off first the inside edge and then the second before whipping a third four of the over through midwicket in wonderful fashion. The last ball finds the outside edge again but doesn't carry to Bresnan. England then try to run Gambhir out as he looks for a possible single, and the over then ends with Gambhir running to the umpires to complain, presumably about backchat from England's fired-up bowlers and fielders. Footnote: Finn above 92mph throughout that over. I make him the fastest bowler in the world at the moment, with the proviso that four overs a day does not a bowler make.

Over 9: Bresnan 0-0-0wd-0-1-0-4 41-2 - Bresnan slips in his delivery stride and bowls a horrible wide, paying the price as the extra delivery is full, on the pads, and clipped to the square-leg fence by Kohli.

Over 8: Finn 1-0wd-0-0-4-0-0 35-2 - Bresnan involved in everything now, producing a fine sliding stop at fine-leg to keep Gambhir down to a single when he would've expected at least two and possibly four for a well-timed flick off his pads. Finn then finds Kohli's outside edge, but he plays with soft hands and gets the ball to ground short of Swann at second slip. He can't make the stop and Kohli gets four. Finn unimpressed, but responds in the best way with two cracking deliveries that whizz past the outside edge. More variable bounce as one bounces in front of Kieswetter and the other carries through at chest height.

Over 7: Bresnan 4-1-1-6-W-0 29-2 - Bresnan serves up a middle-and-leg half-volley that Rahane pings through square-leg in fine style. Rahane drops the next ball at his feet and is called through for a single, Bresnan failing to kick the ball into the stumps as he follows through. The decline in Yorkshire football continues. Gambhir adds another quick single before Rahane goes after a short ball and gets a top edge that sails over Dernbach at long-leg. WICKET! Bresnan's ticking here and bowls another short ball. Rahane goes after it again, and again gets a top edge on it. The ball flies flatter this time, straight to Dernbach. He gets in a slightly awkward position but holds on to the catch safely enough. Early wickets were a must for England here, and they've managed to nip out both openers to give themselves a chance. Kohli is the new batsman (no sunglasses).

Over 6: Finn 1-0-1-0-1-0 17-1 - Pacy over from Finn, but Rahane and Gambhir not unduly troubled.

Over 5: Bresnan W-0-0-0-0-0 14-1 WICKET! Patel's somewhat charmed innings comes to an end as a leading edge flies to Cook at mid-on. Decent catch in the end from England's captain, who might have been a touch surprised by how fast that came to him. Gautam Gambhir is the new batsman, and there's an interesting moment as he backs away very, very late in Bresnan's approach to the crease. Bresnan goes through with the delivery - he could do nothing else - and sends the middle stump cartwheeling. Looking at the replays, Gambhir doesn't look up until Bresnan is a couple of yards from the crease and finally backs away just as the bowler is actually going through his action. To add to the mild intrigue, Bresnan's ball-drying rag also falls out of his trousers as he's running in, but that's a red herring: the rag is long on the ground before the batsman's even watching. Umpire signals dead ball - probably correctly - but that was pretty tight. Just how late can a batsman pull away before he's taking the mick? Anyway, Gambhir is looking up rather more swiftly after that moment.

Over 4: Finn 0-0-0-1-0-0 14-0 - Patel survives a big lbw shout from Finn. Again that kept a tad low, but pitched outside leg and Billy Bowden shakes his head.

Over 3: Bresnan 0-1lb-4-0-0-1 13-0 - Drop! Patel whips a gorgeous shot through midwicket for four before England - as in Hyderabad - spurn an early chance in the slips as Swann dives to his right and gets two hands to a thick edge from Patel but can't cling on. Tough chance, but one he'd fancy taking having got both hands to it. Something for the next book, perhaps.

Over 2: Finn 1-1-0-0-4-0 7-0 - Finn takes the other new ball and starts with a couple of loose deliveries that, luckily for the bowler, are only picked off for singles. As is the way with this marvellous game of ours, a halfway decent ball then goes for four as Patel punches off the back foot through the covers in fine style.

Over 1: Bresnan 0-0-1-0-0-0 1-0 - Bresnan takes the first new ball for England, and starts with a sound enough over, in which Parthiv Patel gets off the mark with a single to mid-off where Pietersen does the fielding and, in an out-of-character moment, makes a great show of making sure everyone's aware that he's hurt himself slightly as he tumbled onto the ball.

Dew Factor All the lunch break chat that hasn't been about England batsmen getting in and getting out has been about the Dew Factor, which is either a) some wetness on a cricket ground or b) a disappointing new reality TV show.

England 237 all out Dreadful start, shambolic end and a fitful middle. Not a brilliant one-day innings from England, it's fair to say, who leave 10 deliveries unused. The pitch isn't entirely true - Samit Patel got a nasty one that kept low - but England are probably around 30 runs light of par. They're going to have to bowl and field well, then - India certainly did. This innings also provided ample evidence for the great cricketing truism 'one brings two'; three times England lost wickets in successive overs, and then went one better by losing the eighth and ninth wickets in the same over.

Over 49: Yadav 1-1 237 WICKET! A run-out was always a live contender here, and so it comes to pass. Dernbach fends the ball into the offside and scampers a single. There's an easy overthrow on offer as the ball whistles past the stumps, but Dernbach is inexplicably slow to respond to Finn's correct call and finds himself a yard short when the ball is returned to Dhoni's end.

Over 48: V Kumar 0-0-1-1-1-0 235-9 - Finn and Dernbach accrue three runs through a winning combination of frantic yorker-blocking, wild scampering and childlike enthusiasm.

Over 47: Yadav 0-1-1-0-0-1 232-9 - England scramble a couple of singles, the second of which seems certain to see Finn run out by Jadeja's direct hit. But one of the advantages of being about eight-foot-three is that a full-length dive covers quite a lot of ground. Finn flings himself horizontal and gets home by a few inches. As a reward for his efforts he gets to dig out a couple of toe-crunchers before collecting an overthrow to keep the strike.

Over 46: V Kumar W-0-0-1-0-0wd-W 229-9 WICKET! Vinay Kumar returns and immediately cleans up Swann, sending the off stump cartwheeling as the batsman plays down the wrong line [insert London Underground gag here]. Three wickets for VK, comfortably his best bowling figures in ODIs, and he's been impressive throughout. WICKET! Make that four as Bresnan goes for a big shot and only loops the ball tamely to extra-cover where Raina takes a simple catch. Finn and Dernbach now charged with the task of seeing out the last four overs and getting what they can. Prediction: it won't be enough.

Over 45: Jadeja 2-0-1-1-1-1 227-7 - Swann and Bresnan scramble six runs from Jadeja's over. That's bare minimum for England from the remaining five.

Over 44: Yadav 0-4-0-1-4-1 221-7 - Five men out in the 30s and 40s. The other two out for nought. Three times England have lost wickets in successive overs. Messy innings really. Still, there remain sufficient time and resources (just about) to scramble towards something around 260. Two boundaries in this over help the cause, the first ramped/edged (delete according to taste) over a deep slip by Swann and the second whipped through midwicket by Bresnan. Kohli slightly blots his hitherto pristine copybook by diving over the ball and removes his sunglasses as penance.

Over 43: Jadeja 1-1-0-1-0-W 211-7 WICKET! Jadeja back into the attack and picks up the key wicket of the dangerous Bairstow. Could've done real danger in the closing overs here, but he just fails to get enough on the ball here to clear Kohli at long-off, who leaps hight to make a difficult catch look simple just inside the rope. Sunglasses still in place. He should be called Virat Cooli. (He shouldn't.)

Over 42: Yadav 1-4-1wd-0-0wd-0-1 208-6 WICKET! An eventful over from Yadav, who is pinged through midwicket for four with outrageous timing by Bairstow and then bowls a couple of ugly wides that have Dhoni diving with varying degrees of success before the twin shocks of a straight delivery and some nasty low bounce see Patel trapped plumb lbw. Patel's actually walked for that. Another England batsman gets in and gets out, but one can't be too critical of Patel there. Not sure he could've done much about a delivery that's pitched halfway down at the thick end of 90mph and hits him halfway up the shin. Tim Bresnan is England's number eight, and he's off the mark second ball.

Over 41: Kohli 4-1-1-1-1-1 199-5 - Dhoni maybe just guilty of trying to get one too many overs out of Kohli here as Patel slaps him for four through point and runs are scored off every ball. Still, having bowled five sunglassed overs for 18 runs he's still done a splendidly tidy job for his skipper.

Over 40: Ashwin 1lb-6-0-0-1-0wd-2 190-5 - A huge slog-sweep from Patel brings him six over midwicket as England end the powerplay with a decent over and have astonishingly managed to play out their batting powerplay without losing a wicket. Just awaiting confirmation that the world is indeed still turning.

Over 39: P Kumar 0-1-1-1-2-1 179-5 - Good stuff from Praveen Kumar here, going to his yorker and getting it pretty much spot on throughout. Best piece of cricket comes with a great yorker that Bairstow digs out neatly to midwicket, where it is well fielded but the batsmen still manage to scamper a second run. Good Cricket All Round.

Over 38: Ashwin 4-1-1-1-4-0wd-0 173-5 - Couple of excellent shots in this over, first a coruscating square-cut from Patel and then an expedition down the track and in-to-out drive over extra-cover from Bairstow. Fifty partnership for this pair. Not a thrilling stand, but if they double it over the next half-a-dozen overs then it could yet be a crucial one.

Over 37: P Kumar 0-0wd-0-2-1-0-0 161-5 - Patel baseballs Kumar down the ground with all the grace that suggests and picks up a couple of runs. Another quiet over, though.

Over 36: Ashwin 1-0-0wd-0-1-0-0 157-5 - Not exactly an explosive start to the powerplay, but any batting powerplay over where England don't lose three wickets and have a batsman burst into tears is to be viewed as a success. A DRINKS break in the middle of the batting powerplay isn't ideal, but is something that will now happen in almost every ODI.

Powerplay Did someone say mandatory powerplay? Yes. It was me, just then.

Over 35: Kohli 0-1-0-0-0-1 154-5 - Kohli back to try and sneak in a cheap over before the powerplay. Does so, and causes much mirth and merriment by threatening to Mankad Patel at the non-striker's end. In fairness to the batsman, he only left his crease after Kohli stopped. Still, it all seems to be in good fun. Kohli still in his sunglasses, by the way. He's cooler than you are.

Over 34: P Kumar 0-0-1-0-1-0 152-5 - So, England have to take the powerplay within the next couple of overs. In theory, a couple of handy players at the crease to exploit the field restrictions. In practice, a very real chance for England to be bowled out before the 40th over.

Over 33: Jadeja 6-0-0-0-1-0 150-5 - Lovely shot from Samit Patel, giving himself a bit of room and launching Jadeja over long-on for six. Third time Jadeja has been crunched into the sightscreen. Dhoni holds his nerve and keeps his two catchers in. Good man. Patel picks up two more with a cover-drive that somehow wrongfoots the man in the ring at extra-cover. Might've taken a deflection off the man at silly-point. England's 150 up. They need to wangle at least another 100 from the last 17 overs. At least.

Over 32: P Kumar 0-1-0-1-0-0 142-5 - Praveen Kumar back into the attack after a curious opening spell which started brilliantly and then got Trotted into mediocrity. Second spell starts well enough, just two singles - neither of them convincing - coming off the comeback over.

Over 31: Jadeja 1-0-0-0-0wd-0-0 140-5 - Jadeja back into the attack. Dhoni gives him two catchers at slip and silly-point for Bairstow. Jadeja responds by bowling on leg-stump and giving Bairstow an easy single. Probably not the plan. Better lines for the rest of the over until he stuffs another one down leg for a wide. Smartly taken by Dhoni.

Over 30: Yadav 0-0-4-0wd-0-0-1 138-5 - Bairstow almost swings himself off his feet playing a pull shot, but gets plenty of bat on ball and picks up four. He then opens the face on a drive to get it to mid-off's left for a single.

Over 29: Ashwin 0-0-0-0-2-1 132-5 - Bairstow not looking entirely comfortable against Ashwin's variations. In fact, he's looking entirely uncomfortable. But he survives, and picks up a couple off an outside edge before picking up a single to keep the strike.

Over 28: Yadav 0-1-0-2-1-0 129-5 - A good-looking cover-drive brings Bairstow a couple of runs. England once again firmly in rebuilding mode here.

Over 27: Ashwin 0-0-1-0-1-1 125-5 - After the drama of a couple of wickets, back to binary. Which will please Phil: "I'm enjoying the Binary overs in one respect, it means I can use them to revise for a Uni exam tomorrow! I need to convert Binary to Decimal. It's a shame that doesn't apply to the cricket score! Over 24 would have been for 50!!" I'm going to assume he's correct. Because I have no clue.

Over 26: Yadav 0-W-0-0-0-1 122-5 WICKET! Big wicket for India as Yadav removes Pietersen. Not much of a delivery in truth, a wide half-volley that KP gives the full gun but gets only a faint edge that Dhoni snaffles smartly an inch or two above the turf. Pietersen just asks Dhoni whether it was a clean catch and accepts the Indian skipper's nod and starts walking off. The umpires then apparently decide they want to look at the replays to be sure, but there's no need; Pietersen accepted the decision, and replays instantly confirm there's absolutely no problem with the catch. Anyway, correct decision reached in the end even though we could have got there a touch sooner. Samit Patel is the new batsman with his side under the pump. He gets off the mark with a miscued pull to the right of mid-on. Lots of pats on the back for Yadav, and why not. It's also jolly exciting to see an Indian bowler sling it down at 90mph. For England, though, another batsman gets in and gets out. Presumably the same people who moan about Trott getting hundreds too slowly will also be furious about this.

Over 25: Ashwin 1-1-4-1-W-0 121-4 WICKET! England's batsmen committing twin sins today: getting out for nowt or getting out after a nice start. Bopara joins Trott in committing the latter as he misses a ball from Ashwin that straightens from round the wicket to give Bowden a pretty straightforward lbw decision. Pietersen starting to go along rather nicely though, picking up a four earlier in the over with a delicate dab fine of third-man. Jonny Bairstow is the new batsman, and he lunges theatrically forward to defend the first ball he faces.

Over 24: Yadav 1-1-0-0-1-0 114-3 - Pietersen's assault has seen Jadeja out of the attack. The pacy Yadav back into the attack. Pace of bowling increases , but pace of mid-innings ODI over returns to normality. Singles and dots in another binary over.

Over 23: Ashwin 1-1-0-0-1-1 111-3 - Type "Four singles from Ashwin's over." Copy. Paste. Forever. The final single almost causes strife as there is a brief moment of miscommunication between the batsmen which forces Pietersen to put in a couple of big strides and a full-length dive to safely reach the bowler's end.

Over 22: Jadeja 0-1-0-1-6-6 107-3 - Great stuff from Pietersen, smashing Jadeja for a glorious straight six and then, just for laughs, doing it again the very next ball but this time sending it a good 20 yards further over the sightscreen. Awesome. Left-arm spin weakness? Pfft.

Over 21: Ashwin 0-1-1-1-0-1 93-3 - Pietersen usually highly adept at ensuring he faces the majority of deliveries while he's at the crease, but not so far today. With Trott and now Bopara doing the bulk of the boundary-biffing, Pietersen has faced just 40 balls in his 19 overs at the crease. Bopara has already faced the same number. Ashwin's over brings four singles, in accordance with the prophecy.

Over 20: Jadeja 1-0-0-0-1-0 89-3 - Jadeja races through his overs, giving neither batsmen nor over-by-over commentators time to settle. Sneaks in another cheap over. There were two singles off it, but I don't really know what happened as I blinked.

Over 19: Ashwin 0-1-0-1-1-1 87-3 - Middle over, spin, singles. Rinse and repeat.

Over 18: Jadeja 0-0-2-1-0-0 83-3 - Close! Jadeja into the attack and before you can say "weakness against left-arm spin" Pietersen comes within an inch or two of chipping a return catch to the bowler.

Over 17: Ashwin 1-0-0-1-0-4 80-3 - Spin for the first time today as Ashwin comes into the attack. Couple of singles early in the over before a cannily-played pre-meditated sweep from Pietersen brings four as he dabs the ball fine on the legside to leave long-leg a frustrated spectator. Time for DRINKS with England gaining something of a foothold in the game after a disastrous start.

Over 16: Yadav 4-0-4-0-0-4 74-3 - Umesh Yadav into the attack at the start of the powerplay, and Bopara immediately pulls him disdainfully through mid-on for four. A classy, wristy drive through square-cover brings another boundary before Yadav looks to give Bopara the hurry-up with a short ball but has to watch it disappear to the midwicket boundary at some lick. Bopara up and running now as England launch another recovery mission.

Powerplay Cricket's brave leaders have truly rid ODI cricket of any suggestion that it's formulaic and predictable by making teams wait five overs to take the bowling powerplay. Visionaries.

Over 15: Kohli 1-1-0-0-1-0 62-3 - Somewhere in the north-east of England, Paul Collingwood is nodding in appreciation as Kohli slow-mediums his way through another over with no damage.

Over 14: V Kumar 0-4-0-0-1-0 59-3 - Vinay Kumar, into his seventh over, pays a heavy price for offering just a hint of width as Bopara carves the ball behind point for four. An easy-on-the-eye cover-drive brings Rav-Bop a single.

Over 13: Kohli 1-0-1-0-1-0 54-3 - Kohli's bowling is on the cuddly side of innocuous, but he has a happy knack of bowling cheap overs during the drearylull. He's also bowling while wearing sunglasses because he's just that cool.

Over 12: V Kumar 0-1-0-0-0-1 51-3 - Pietersen walks across his stumps to flick the ball from off stump through square-leg. Plumb if he missed it, but he didn't. Just a single, though, with deep square-leg in place. A nervous-looking Ravi Bopara survives a huge lbw shout - he hit it - before getting off the mark with a thick inside edge into the legside.

White balls "Wonder why none of the golf ball manufacturers have come up with a solution?" ponders Dennis on the white cricket ball conundrum. "They can put a cover on a golf ball that lasts seemingly forever."

Over 11: Kohli 0-0-0-0-1-0 49-3 - Kohli on first change for India. With the exciting new regulations, this is the first of the five dull middle overs that are thrillingly moved forward a little bit. If this doesn't make people fall back in love with one-day cricket, I don't know what will.

Over 10: V Kumar 1-4-0-4-0-W 48-3 WICKET! Trott picks up two more boundaries with more cracking timing and placement before, to the surprise of himself and the bowler, nicking the last ball of the first powerplay through to Dhoni. Big wicket for India that; Trott had looked in superb touch. Bit of a nothing shot to a ball a good foot outside off. Furious with himself as he trudges off.

Over 9: P Kumar 1-0-0-0-0-4 39-2 - With both batsmen casually stepping out of the crease to the Kumars, Dhoni decides to come up to the stumps. He fails to grab onto one that may or may not have found Trott's outside edge. The great imponderable, of course, is would Trott have been beaten/nicked it had he been able to take the ball a yard and a half earlier. Like the ingredients of a Weetabix, we'll never know. Trott ends the over with another boundary, whipped through midwicket. He's rattling along here, finding the gaps and letting a quick outfield do the rest.

Over 8: V Kumar 2-0-1-4-0-0 34-2 - Pietersen whips through midwicket for a couple and then drives with no timing to mid-off for a quick single. Trott collects his fourth classy boundary as he leans on a half-volley and pings it through the covers.

Over 7: P Kumar 0-2-4lb-0-0-0 27-2 - Trott guides Praveen Kumar past backward-point for an easy two before the bowler strays on to leg stump and, although Trott can't make contact, the ball still runs away to the boundary off the pad.

Over 6: V Kumar 0-0-0-1-0-0 21-2 - Trott tips-and-runs a tight single and would probably just have beaten Suresh Raina's throw even had it found the target. Close, though. India's fielding impressive again so far today, as it was in the first game. One advantage of the influx of younger bodies due to the absence of most of the old guard.

Over 5: P Kumar 4-4-4-0-1-4 20-2 - Trott launches a counter-attack, and rather an effective one. First he shimmies down the track and drives sweetly through the covers before flicking fine on the legside and then pinging another drive behind point to collect three succcessive boundaries. An astonishing feast after the famine. Trott then dabs to third-man for a single before Pietersen makes it four boundaries in the over, sauntering across his stumps to whip the ball behind square-leg. England's run-rate leaps from 0.75 to four.

Over 4: V Kumar 0-0-0-0-1-0 3-2 - Pietersen has faced the grand total of five balls before the host broadcaster put up his year-by-year ODI record. It is, to be fair, a remarkable slump that is now in its fourth year. Another dabbed single on the offside for Trott takes England into the lead. What a comeback.

Over 3: P Kumar 0-1-0-0-0-0wd-0 2-2 - Trott dabs to backward-point for a single to get England off the mark. This situation absolutely made for the Trottster now; even his most dim-bulb critics can't start bawling that he's not got a strike-rate of 150 just at the moment. Pietersen's batting way out of his crease to try and counter PK's swing, and the first mistake from the India bowlers arrives with a marginal offside wide that hands England an equaliser.

Over 2: V Kumar 0-0-0-0-W-0 0-2 - Vinay Kumar with the new ball - not sharing the new ball, of course, what with the new rules caused by mankind's finest minds' continued inability to produce a white cricket ball that doesn't go all brown and useless within two hours. WICKET! Two new balls, two Kumars, two openers, two wickets. Classic fourth-stump outswinger, and Kieswetter hangs a tentative bat at it and nicks to Virat Kohli at slip to leave England 0-2 with both openers in the shed. Not, it's fair to say, the ideal start. Pietersen is the new batsman, and is immediately beaten by a replica of the ball that did for Kieswetter. Two slips waiting to gobble up an edge. Excellent start this from India. Every ball so far has been right on the spot, and the fielders have backed up the Kumars.

Over 1: P Kumar 0-0-0-W-0-0 0-1 - Pleasingly mad Praveen Kumar has the new ball on a typical crazy-paving dry Delhi deck. Hint of swing for PK in the opening over. WICKET! And he strikes in his first over! Ball pushed across the England skipper, who slashes it at head height to point where Jadeja clings on smartly and with minimal fuss. With Cook, rather than Kieswetter, falling early, it's Jonathan Trott in at three. Once he's finally ready to face, he's struck on the pad flap to see Kumar roar an lbw appeal. But Trott is well forward and that has to be too high. Billy Bowden not interested. Excellent first over from Praveen.

Feedback Literally no-one wants this commentary to just be me banging on all day, so make sure you have your say by sending your emails to Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com. Perhaps you're unsure about what Corn Flakes are made of. Or All-Bran. Or Shredded Wheat. Or, well, you get the idea. Get your cereal queries or even cricket observations in.

Pitch Report Sanjay Manjrekar says he thinks the pitch will get lower and slower as the game progresses and says that a) Cook was right to bat first and b) Dhoni may have been engaging in mischief by saying he'd have bowled first.

Mate Great to see Marcus Trescothick in the Sky studio today. One of the good guys. Setting the spread on the number of times he calls Ian Ward "mate" at 7.5

Wide Awake There are few more civilised start times for England overseas games than day-night action in India, but even a 10am start can be too early for some. Actual question just posed by a bleary-eyed colleague: "What are Weetabix made of?"

India Parthiv Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav

England Alastair Cook (capt), Craig Kieswetter (wk), Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Ravi Bopara, Jonny Bairstow, Samit Patel, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, Jade Dernbach

Spin England, then, set for another trial by spin after flunking their first exam in spectacular fashion. Big game for England today, you fancy; lose this one - especially if it's another hefty defeat - and the series could very quickly run away from the tourists in conditions that have rarely been conducive to England's best cricket.

Toss Alastair Cook wins the toss and chooses to bat. So much for those Meaker whispers; England are unchanged. Must get my ears syringed. Also means there's no recall for Ian Bell, a man whose own mediocre record was forgotten about as he, like so many players in so many sports before him, found that nothing does as much for your reputation as being left out of a side that knackers things up. Asked by the always-calm and measured Ravi Shastri what a good score will be, Cook is refreshingly honest: "We don't know yet." MS Dhoni, who also leads an unchanged side, says he would've bowled first anyway because of that old favourite from the World Cup, the Dew Factor.

Book deal In the light of Graeme Swann's controversial and appallingly-titled book, Andy Flower says cricketers shouldn't write autobiographies while still playing. A noble sentiment, but doesn't go far enough for me.

Welcome It's stage two of India's Operation Throw Shoes Over Slough Office Block. Today we're in Delhi, with the whispers suggesting Surrey's Stuart Meaker is set to make his debut.

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