India tour of England 2-match one day international series of the 2nd ODI match played between India and England at The Oval in 16-17th July 1974.
This modified Article reference from ( The Guardian ) Author by John Arlott
England completed a "Full house" - three Tests and two one-day international against India when England beat India by 6 wickets with 37 balls to remaining in the second Prudential Trophy one-day match at the Oval in 17th July 1974.
In this match India won the toss decided to batting first - India opener Sunil Gavaskar and Sudhir Naik set up the 40-run stand for first wicket and both goes to pavilion with exact 20-20.
India's batting line-up failed except Ashok Mankad and Gundappa Viswanath.
Vishwanath scored a valuable 32 consumed 59 deliveries and Ashok Mankad's delightful 44 helped to India set up the respectable total of 171 in 47.3 overs.
While England chasing 172, they scored a 19-run for lost one wicket with Mike Smith (1).
Due to bad light match has been stopped and match resuming reserve day, Which was first ever Reserve day match in one-day cricket history.
Apart from a flurry at the end England made the other 153-runs they needed to take the €1,000 prize-money in painstaking but undistinguished fashion.
It was effectively achieved in three stands David Lloyd and John Edrich made an establishing 46-run stand for the second wicket.
England skipper Mike Denness and Keith Fletcher a sometimes uneasy 42-run stand for the 4th wicket.
Keith Fletcher and Tony Greig an altogether more enterprising 59-run stand unfinished off 10 overs for the fifth.
India with their three regular and two makeshift bowlers contested the issue their fielding, particularly of the faithful Abid Ali Brijesh Patel and Eknath Solkar was always beautiful.
And no observable chance was missed Syed Kirmani who had not appeared in any previous representative match of the tour was allowed to keep wicket.
And did so neatly as substitute for Farokh Engineer who had a leg Injury, it was though always apparent that England could win without undue strain.
For the Indians it will be a sad return home, especially since many of the players are those who went back to such a tumultuous welcome after winning the rubber here in 1971.
Caught in the English climate at it's most savage in the early stages of the tour and losing the first Test inutterly depressing weather, they never made effective counter to an English team which grew in stature as it went along.
Ajit Wadekar, who was India's first ever ODI captain for India, Wadekar shuffled his three recognised bowlers - Eknath Solkar, Abid Ali and Madan Lal for the first 16 overs in the morning when they restricted the scoring to 41.
Then Ajit Wadekar consulted Ashok Mankad but brought on Gopal Bose an orderly off spinner, his pairing with Madan Lal instantly produced results, Madan Lal had John Edrich caught Mike Denness some discomfort with late out-swings.
In the next over Clive Lloyd edged both to the wicket keeper and Mike Denness and Keith Fletcher settled to an uneasy but valuable phase of consolidation.
Ajit Wadekar eventually that his fifth bowler was not himself, who bowls right arm medium in his first over Mike Denness pulled a long hop for four but, in his next drove to cover where Ajit Wadekar made the catch.
Tony Greig at once set about finishing the business and Keith Fletcher fell in step with him, Briefly Abid Ali, who finished with impressively economical figures checked them but they soon, recovered momentum.
Increasingly heavy cloud threatened rain and the umpii with the discretion they are wisely allowed in this competition decided to waive the normal 12.45 lunch and play on, only a quarter of an hour was needed.
In five balls from Ashok Mankad, Keith Fletcher with 15 and Tony Greig three, set a new record for the most expensive over in a Prudential Trophy match and won the match and England won the 2-match series 2-0.
Keith Fletcher was chosen as the man of the match and man of the series for England, Brijesh Patel who played a handsome innings of 83 at Headingley, was named Man of the series for India.
England that time go on to a completely different set of problems posed by Pakistan but they go with the confidence of Matches won.
There will not be a Prudential Trophy in this form that time next year when it is already planned to hold an eight-country international tournament ( World Cup ). For that time upcoming years to avoid conflicting with the Country Championship.
The TCCB might consider setting aside a week at this time with no Championship fixtures for all four Prudential matches or even six, It could have been historically valuable if India and Pakistan might have played a couple of one-day games against each other here.
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