ENGLAND v INDIA 1974

Although India exceeded all expectations by scoring 265, English expertise in the one-day game was finally decisive and victory came with 23 balls to spare. England were behind the required run rate in the early stages but a skilled innings by Edrich, whose 90 occupied only 26 overs, ended Indian hopes of causing a surprise. Wadekar's field settings in defence of his side's handsome total were difficult to understand and the England batsmen picked up ones and twos at will. Edrich was particularly adept and when he was fifth out at 212 the only threat to England was the weather. The last two overs were played in really heavy rain and the crowd sheltered under umbrellas while Greig, Knott and Old knocked off the remaining runs.

India's hero was Patel, whose four innings in the Test series had brought him only ten runs. After the first three Indian wickets had gone for 60 - Jackman dismissing Naik with his third ball - Wadekar and Engineer rallied the tourists. When Engineer was out, Patel joined his captain and took charge of the later stages of the innings, pushing the score far beyond 200 with a succession of exciting strokes which recalled his displays early in the tour when he looked likely to play a major role in the Test Matches. When he was finally caught on the boundary for 82 India were in a position to leave England a formidable task.