Flintoff's flourish at the finish earns draw

Cricket/ One-day international series: It was a gesture first made famous by Ryan Giggs in an FA Cup semi-final, but yesterday Freddie Flintoff adopted it as his own: tearing the number 11 shirt from his head in celebration and careering around the Wankhede Stadium as England squared a thrilling one-day series at the last.

Two years ago, Flintoff could not have removed his shirt without attracting slurs about fighting the flab. Only a few months ago, that he could bowl or field with such athleticism, especially with the pressure so intense, would have been unimaginable.

Yet it was Flintoff, symbol for a combative England side beginning to come to terms with the limited-overs game, who ultimately ensured that, after a narrow defeat in the Test series, they would glean some reward from a gruelling winter.

India, set 256, reached the last two balls needing six for victory with two wickets left - five for a tie would also have secured the series. Flintoff rescued James Foster's roll at the stumps in his follow-through to run out Hemang Badani at the wicketkeeper's end, as he tried to steal a leg-bye, then yorked Javagal Srinath first ball, before apeing Giggs' celebration in the FA Cup against Arsenal in Manchester United's 1998/9 treble-winning season.

"Nasir, aaj kya bahana hai?" ("Nasser, where's your excuse today?") a large advertising hoarding had goaded at midwicket. Perhaps England have chivvied away at umpiring mistakes and other assorted frustrations more than they might.

But now the England captain was satisfied. "My players have kept going all winter, and we've enjoyed every minute," said Hussain. "If they can play here, they can play anywhere in the world."

England's win should have been a formality. With Marcus Trescothick clubbing his way to 95 from 80 balls, and Hussain, in far more adventurous mood at number three, approaching his crispest form of the winter, they sailed to 153 for two by the 23rd over, only for Harbhajan Singh's unconventional off-spin to disorientate the middle order.

In golf they call Ernie Els the Big Easy. It is a description that could apply just as well to Trescothick, who again played with contented and uncomplicated power.

It was a superb pitch offering life and turn from intemperate beginnings: Nick Knight fell second ball for nought, and the new ball bounced so unexpectedly that Ajay Ratra appealed excitedly for four wicketkeeper's catches in the first two overs, none of which came within inches of the bat. The umpires, Dr Gupta and Dr Mahal, might well have considered counselling.

Trescothick escaped twice before the mayhem subsided, dropped first ball when he scythed Javagal Srinath to backward point where Hemang Badani made the ground, but couldn't hold, and reprieved again when Sehwag also failed to scrape up an edge.

From that point, he drove punishingly and exhibited a deftness against the spinners that comes less readily, pausing occasionally to tip rivulets of sweat from his helmet.

England have grown in stature against spin bowling on three successive tours of the sub-continent. They have tamed Saqlain in Pakistan, padded Murali to distraction in Sri Lanka and gradually learned to cope with the two-pronged attack of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan in India.

Throughout, the air has been one of knowledge assimilated and lessons learned.

But just when their education seemed almost complete, Harbhajan's ability to turn the ball both ways left them bare.

Harbhajan had been rested in Delhi, a match England sneaked by two runs to pull the series back to 3-2. Yesterday, he returned with a vengeance, destroying England's middle order in a spell of four wickets for two in 12 balls.

With Sourav Ganguly chipping in with the wicket of Michael Vaughan, England plunged from 153 for two, in only the 23rd over, to 174 for seven, seven overs later.

Vaughan and Thorpe both aided their own destruction, stumped by Ratra as they charged recklessly down the pitch. Trescothick's increased responsibility, in his creeping exhaustion, must have weighed heavily upon him, and he held his head in horror as a leading edge sailed gently back to Harbhajan. Paul Collingwood was unfortunate, as he chipped confidently to midwicket, while Giles edged an arm ball to slip.

It was then that Flintoff made another vital contribution, a controlled 40 from 50 balls, with only the England tail for support, an innings that rescued a competitive total. One six launched over long-on off Harbhajan apart, he reined in his ambitions until the final over - and immediately holed out in the deep.

India's inexperienced middle-order has left them vulnerable throughout the series, but, to prey upon it, it is first necessary to quell the violent strokeplay of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, thrillingly intent on matching each other's audacity.

Gough's outswinger accounted for Tendulkar and Sehwag self-destructed at mid-on, but Ganguly, striding down the pitch to swing four sixes over long-on, struck 80 from 99 balls; Ashley Giles, the match-winner in Delhi, this time was eclipsed.

Ganguly's dismissal, sweeping Giles onto his stumps, was the luck England needed.

Twice an Indian run-chase, first at Delhi, now here, looked bound to succeed with Ganguly at the crease. Twice, upon his departure, India faltered in the face of aggressive bowling and outstanding fielding.