India v England
At Delhi, January 31
15-Apr-2003
At Delhi, January 31. England won by two runs. Toss: India.
Injuries continued to reshape the series, as Snape's damaged hand led to a match-winning return
by Giles. He began unpromisingly: 32 runs from his first four overs. When he reappeared, India
were nearing victory at 204 for three, but Ganguly charged at his seventh ball, and dragged an
attempted six into the hands of long-on. It began a spell of five for nine in 20 deliveries from
Giles, whose ten previous internationals had yielded only nine wickets. India were suddenly on
the canvas. But Agarkar nearly revived them, carving 36 from 24 balls. They went into Gough's
final over needing eight for a series-clinching tie, which became four off the last ball; Giles pulled
off a diving boundary save to thwart them. Earlier, Knight had neutralised India's spinners with
trusty sweep shots, both conventional and reverse. He scored his fourth one-day hundred, and
added 117, England's only century stand of the series, with Hussain. The final flurry brought 107
in 15 overs as Flintoff belted a thrilling 52 in 39 balls. The match was halted briefly when England
fielders were struck by pellets thrown from the crowd.
Man of the Match: A. F. Giles.