India's Suresh Raina celebrates his team's victory over England after the second one-day cricket match between India and England in Faridabad yesterday. Teenager Suresh Raina hammered 81 not out from 89 balls to power India to a four-wicket victory over England. - Reuters
FARIDABAD, India (Reuters):
TEENAGER SURESH Raina hammered 81 not out from 89 balls to power India to a four-wicket victory over England in the second one-day international yesterday.
The 19-year-old left-hander launched a blistering counter-attack to pull India out of trouble at 92 for five in reply to England's 226 in 49.5 overs.
Raina, dropped on 18 by paceman James Anderson off his own bowling, added 118 runs for the sixth wicket with Mahendra Dhoni (38) on a slow pitch of low bounce and India finished on 230 for six in 49 overs.
India lead the seven-match series 2-0.
Kevin Pietersen top-scored for England with 71 and equalled West Indian Viv Richards' record for the fastest 1,000 runs in one-day cricket, reaching the milestone in his 21st innings.
Pietersen and left-handed opener Andrew Strauss (61) were dropped off off-spinner Ramesh Powar before anchoring the innings after captain Andrew Flintoff chose to bat.
Strauss added 66 runs with Matt Prior (33) for the first wicket and 64 for the third with Pietersen before six wickets tumbled in the last 10 overs in chase of quick runs.
Flintoff, playing his 100th one-dayer, was stumped for five stepping out against Powar.
Pietersen curbed his aggression and cut down the sweep shot after he was dropped on three trying to slog Powar. His sixth one-day fifty contained four fours and two sixes in 87 balls.
