Local hero Dhoni seals big Indian win
Bhuvneshar Kumar and Shami Ahmed bowled with good control to restrict the score to 36 in the 10-over powerplay, with the latter adding the scalp of captain Alastair Cook (17) for good measure.
Ian Bell, who had scored just one off his first 18 deliveries, was briefly energised by Kevin Pietersen’s arrival and the pair momentarily provided cause for optimism.
Each hit successive boundaries to improve a modest scoring rate but were prised apart in the 15th over when Ishant Sharma dubiously had Pietersen caught behind for 17.
There was no obvious edge, with Pietersen’s exaggerated reaction and slow departure leaving no doubt as to his opinion.
There was no doubt three balls later when Bell reached to cut Kumar and provided a sharp catch for Dhoni at the wicket.
Joe Root and Eoin Morgan needed a big partnership if England were to compete but it did not materialise.
Morgan faced 30 balls and added 10 before he was tempted to aim a reverse sweep at Ravichandran Ashwin, botching the stroke and handing Yuvraj a simple catch.
Root had seemed composed at the other end, hitting a couple of early boundaries, but could do nothing about England’s woeful position when Craig Kieswetter and Samit Patel fell to Ravindra Jadeja within seconds of each other.
Both made ducks and both failed to pick Jadeja’s arm ball as India snared three wickets in nine balls.
At the halfway stage England had limped along to 98 for six.
Root and county colleague Bresnan spared some shame with a diligent seventh-wicket stand of 47, the best of the innings, before the batting powerplay parted them.
Root had lasted 57 balls and hit four boundaries before he nicked Sharma to the tumbling Dhoni and England scored just 10 more after his dismissal.
Bresnan made a creditable 25 before he received the surprise of the day, a fierce turner from Ashwin that darted between bat and pad and left the Yorkshireman bemused.
Finn and Dernbach were then mopped up with minimal fuss as 7.4 overs went unused.
James Franklin was New Zealand’s hero as the tourists beat South Africa by one wicket in a dramatic opening one-day international in Paarl.
Franklin hit the winning runs with a four amid a flurry of late-order boundaries as New Zealand reached 209 for nine in reply to the home side’s 208.
South Africa had set a disappointing total from 46.2 overs as Faf du Plessis scored 57 as debutant New Zealand paceman Mitchell McClenaghan took four for 20.
Ryan McLaren took four for 46 for the home side but Franklin, who finished on 47 not out, and BJ Watling (45) ensured New Zealand recorded a narrow victory.
