5th ODI: India beat England by 95 runs, sweep series 5-0

Diwali Dhamaka gave Indian team, beat England by 95 runs

A brilliant display of spin bowling from Ravindra Jadeja preceded by a blistering knock of 75 from Skipper Mahindra Singh Dhoni enabled India to complete 5-0 whitewash as they thrashed England by 95 runs in the last match of the series at Eden Gardens here tonight. Riding on the back of Dhoni s innings, the home team posted a target of 272 and restricted the visitors at 176 in 37 overs. Touring captain Alastair Cook in company of Craig Kieswetter started the English chase on a blazing note and at one stage they were cruising towards the target of 272 before all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja s ripped apart England side claiming vital wickets of Keiswetter, Jonathan Trot, Jonathan Bairstow and Samit Patel. Rookie pacer Varun Aaron opened the floodgates by breaking the match-threatening first wicket stand of 129 between Cook and Kieswetter. The Jharkhand express dismantled the furniture of the rival Skipper Cook(60). The right-hander smashed eight boundaries in his 61-ball effort. Jadeja claimed his first victim in the very next over when he trapped the other opener in front of the stumps. Kieswetter 64-ball 63 was filled with nine fours. Following the departure of the openers, the English innings lost its direction and succumbed to the indian tweakers. Man of the match Jadeja was wreaker-in-chief and ended up with a figure of four for 43, while Ashwin pocketed three giving away 28 runs Earlier a cracking half century from captain Mahindra Singh Dhoni powered India to a commanding total of 271. Coming to bat when team was tottering at 123/4, Dhoni played gem of an innings and perfectly foiled the English plans of restricting India to a low score. The swashbuckling batsman brought up his 43 ODI fifty via a sweetly timed boundary towards mid on. His unbeaten knock of 75 from 69 balls was adorned with four towering sixes and three boundaries. Put into bat by visiting captain Alastair Cook, opening pair of Gautam Gambhir and Ajinkya Rahane gave India a solid start. The duo forged an 80-run first wicket partnership. But visiting team pegged India back by inflicting three blows in quick succession and reduced them from 80/0 to 80/3. Gambhir, who got a reprieve on 25, was first Indian wicket to fall. The left hander in a bid to cut a short of length delivery of Steve Finn played on to his stumps. His 46-ball 38 was studded with four hits to the fence. The visiting team did not have to wait for the second breakthrough as Finn cleaned up leading scorer of the series (270), Virat Kohli (O). The man in hot form, who scored his maiden ODI century at this ground, misjudging a delivery did not offer a shot and found his off stump uprooted. Rahane quickly followed the suit. The Mumbaikar thick edged an away going delivery of Tim Bresnan, which was safely pouched by wicket-keeper Craig Kieswetter. The 23-year old took 61-ball for his 42, which comprised six hits to the fence. Manoj Tiwary, who walk to the crease was cheered full-throttle by about 20,000 spectators, perished after a brief promise. The regular Bengal captain after hitting some delightful boundaries in his knock of 24 from 30, edged a good length delivery of Stuart Meaker in to the wicket-keeper gloves. He later claimed his maiden international wicket when cut short Tim Bresnan stay at the crease. Suresh Raina chipped in with 38 from 46 balls. The English bowlers, who were right on the button through the major part of the inning lost out in the final overs when maverick Dhoni took them to the cleaners. Samith Patel was pick of their bowlers claiming three wickets at an expense of 57 runs, while Finn claimed two conceding 47 runs.