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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Morgan joy as Root back in the runs

By AFP
July 19, 2018

LEEDS: Eoin Morgan was glad to see the return of the “Joe Root we know and trust” as his second successive unbeaten hundred helped England clinch the One-day International series against India.

England beat India by eight wickets at Root’s Headingley home ground to complete a come-from-behind 2-1 series win.“The composure he’s shown, particularly in the last two games, is the Joe Root we know and trust,” said Morgan.

“He’s been outstanding even when he’s been low on runs — around the group he’s been the same guy, hungry for runs, hopefully that continues for the rest of the summer.”Root’s Yorkshire colleagues David Willey and Adil Rashid took three wickets apiece as the tourists were restricted to 256 for eight.

Root (100 not out) and Morgan (88 not out) shared an unbroken third-wicket stand of 186 as England won with 33 balls to spare.Test skipper Root hit the winning boundary to reach three figures and end India’s run of nine straight bilateral ODI series wins.

It was an impressive display by England, who top the ODI rankings with India second, especially as they had lost by eight wickets in the series opener at Trent Bridge last week.“We started poorly (but) as the series has gone on we have improved,” Morgan said.

“It is a benefit of playing a bilateral series. You play against the same team over and over again, it can present different challenges — that constant improvement has been brilliant since Trent Bridge.“Today I thought it was clinical, right from the get-go.”

Root was named man-of-the-series but the man-of-the-match award went to county colleague Rashid after the leg-spinner took three wickets for 49 runs in his 10 overs.Rashid claimed the prize scalp of India captain Virat Kohli for 71 with a classic delivery that pitched on leg and turned sharply to hit off stump.A stunned Kohli was left staring the pitch in disbelief before beginning a slow walk back into the pavilion.

“It’s definitely the most satisfying wicket I’ve taken,” Rashid said.“Virat Kohli is one of the best players in the world.”

Having whitewashed a weakened Australia 5-0 last month, the manner of victory in Tuesday’s winner-takes-all clash would have further encouraged England, who will look to win the World Cup for the first time next year as hosts.

“They are obviously favourites because its their home conditions,” India paceman Shardul Thakur said. “England know better how to play cricket here, so other teams have a big challenge to play here.”

England won toss

India

R Sharma c Wood b Willey 2

S Dhawan run out 44

*V Kohli b Rashid 71

D Karthik b Rashid 21

†M S Dhoni c Buttler b Willey 42

S Raina c Root b Rashid 1

H Pandya c Buttler b Wood 21

B Kumar c Bairstow b Willey 21

S Thakur not out 22

Extras (lb6, w5) 11

Total (8 wickets, 50 overs) 256

Did not bat: K Yadav, Y Chahal

Fall: 1-13, 2-84, 3-125, 4-156, 5-158, 6-194, 7-221, 8-256

Bowling: Wood 10-2-30-1; Willey 9-0-40-3; Plunkett 5-0-41-0 (2w); Ali 10-0-47-0; Stokes 6-0-43-0 (2w); Rashid 10-0-49-3 (1w)

England

J Vince run out 27

J Bairstow c Raina b Thakur 30

J Root not out 100

*E Morgan not out 88

Extras (b3, lb6, nb1, w5) 15

Total (2 wickets, 44.3 overs) 260

Did not bat: †J Buttler, B Stokes, M Ali, D Willey, L Plunkett, A Rashid, M Wood

Fall: 1-43, 2-74

Bowling: B Kumar 7-0-49-0; Pandya 5.3-0-39-0 (3w); Thakur 10-0-51-1 (2w); Chahal 10-0-41-0 (1nb); K Yadav 10-0-55-0; Raina 2-0-16-0;

Result: England won by 8 wickets

Series: England won the 3-match series 2-1

Man of the Match: Adil Rashid (England)

Man of the series: Joe Root (England)

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (Australia), Michael Gough (England). TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka). Match referee: David Boon (Australia)