England learn nothing new
England learned nothing new from their victory over West Indies. It was already common knowledge that when Kevin Pietersen comes off, they have an excellent chance.
Pietersen, coming in at number five, demonstrated hard-nosed resilience to keep England in the game after he was culpable in the run out of Ian Bell and then produced some nonchalant brilliance to guide his team home.
When he has a lean time - and this was his first half-century in nine one-day innings - it is easy to forget the extent of his talent.
But it is England’s reliance on Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff and Marcus Trescothick that makes them vulnerable in the one-day game. When they fail, there is not a sufficiently strong core to the team to compensate.
England needed this win after two wretched performances. They also needed Flintoff back in action with the ball and although his five overs, delivered in two spells, were largely unthreatening, that was irrelevant compared to the fact that he bowled at all.
He came in off his normal run and touched 87 mph with one delivery, but it was more of an easing in than a fiery return.
Flintoff appears bemused, if not mildly frustrated, by persistent media questions about the state of his ankle. It is as if there is no doubt in his mind that he will be fully fit for Brisbane and so far so good, he reported no reaction afterwards.
West Indies lacked the intensity shown in their first two matches. They failed to take full advantage of their superb start and there was no flamboyant acceleration against some mixed England bowling.
Jon Lewis, replacing Steve Harmison, bowled his overs unchanged and provided sufficient evidence for his inclusion at the start of the tournament. Duncan Fletcher came here with preconceptions about Lewis’ ability to be effective in the sub-continent, but the pitches have confounded him.
Jamie Dalrymple had the confidence to flight the ball and was unfortunate not to take a wicket. The rest was ordinary.
Sajid Mahmood has dismissed Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara in this tournament and somewhere amongst the wides and bad balls is a talented bowler.
James Anderson, meanwhile, was flogged in his second spell and Dwayne Bravo had the measure of Michael Yardy’s peculiar brand of slow bowling.
The main benefit England have gained from their time in India is that most of the Ashes squad have had a work out.
When they arrive in Australia, England only have seven days in the middle before the defence of the Ashes begins. There is a danger with modern tours that players will be undercooked going into the first Test of the series.
That should not be the case with the players who have been out here in India.
