England v India 2007

Raised eyebrows at the omission of Shah, England's leading run-scorer in the previous series against West Indies, dropped back to the level position after maiden one-day hundreds by Cook and Bell signposted a comfortable win. A crisp afternoon gave an autumnal feel and the floodlights were on from the start. None of the Indian bowlers ever took a stranglehold or swung the white Kookaburra ball as dangerously as they had the red Dukes during the Tests. Bell, in particular, constructed his innings perfectly, out-hitting Pietersen after reaching his hundred at a run a ball exactly, and finishing with 126 off 118 balls. His stand with Cook, playing largely through the leg side, realised 178 from 31 overs, but Dravid made things easier by taking off the pressure in the middle stages. India had no way back from 34 for four. In Flintoff 's first game of the season for England, after a third ankle operation, he frequently passed 90mph, removing Dhoni with a typically well-directed short ball. Dravid dug in without threatening before smart leg-side work by Prior, standing up to the stumps, gave Mascarenhas a first wicket in his fourth one-day international.