Tredwell's career-best figures help England win

James Tredwell, England's offspinner, produced match-winning figures of 4 for 44 to help his side beat India by nine runs in the first One-Day International in Rajkot on January 11.

The Saurashtra Cricket Association's new stadium in Rajkot played host to both sides vying to draw first blood in the five-match ODI series.

The lightning quick outfield and a placid pitch made it a batting paradise and it showed from the start with England's openers Alastair Cook and Ian Bell putting on a 158-run opening stand, England's fourth highest for any wicket in India.

That platform helped their side scale a mammoth 325 in their 50 overs. India's opening combine of Ajinkya Rahane and Gautam Gambhir played in a similar fashion as their counterparts, putting on a 96-run partnership.

But Tredwell dismissed them in successive overs, tossing one high to have Rahane caught at long-off and then deceiving Gambhir in the flight to have him caught at short midwicket. Tredwell, an understudy to Graeme Swann in England's ODI side, made a beeline to establish himself in the squad, in a series for which Swann has been rested.

After bagging India's openers in his first spell, the 30-year-old, who plays for Kent in England, returned to dismiss Yuvraj Singh for 61 and Suresh Raina for 50, both batsmen looking in ominous form.

Tredwell's 4 for 44 are his best figures in ODIs and his second four-wicket haul in ten matches.

Cook, in the post-match press conference lauded his spinner for a stellar show. "We know what Tredders does," Cook said. "To get four from there is really a brilliant effort."

"I think we're still clear underdogs just because of the fact that this is India's home conditions and they're so strong at home."

He also added that the performance proved that their batsmen could tackle the conditions in India.

"It is important for the main reason that it gives us the confidence," he said. "I mean it's pretty much the same squad that we had last time out here when we lost 5-0. So to get an early win, especially in the first game, it proves to themselves that they can play in these conditions. You know it's hard, you know it's tough and it's different - but I thought the way we fought out there, we're going to have to do that again in the other games."