If ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah took 6/19 to shape India's 10-wicket thumping win over England at the Oval in the first ODI, it was the turn of seamer Recce Topley to return the compliment in the second ODI at Lord's, as he took 6/24 in 9.5 overs to fire the hosts to a dominating 100-run victory in the second ODI on Thursday. These are now the best ODI figures by an England bowler against India.
England's superb comeback, after being hammered in the opener, has helped them tie the score 1-1 and set up an exciting finale, with the ODI series decider to be played on July 17 at Old Trafford.
Like England saw their batting implode in the first ODI, India too suffered a horrible top-order collapse which saw them crash to 31 for four in the 12th over. Chasing 247, the visitors folded for 146 in 38. 5 overs. Making things difficult for India with his high point of release due to his tall frame, Topley sent back both India's openers, skipper Rohit Sharma (0 off 10 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (9 off 26 balls), before getting the in-form Suryakumar (27 off 29 balls), Shami (23), Chahal (3) and Krishna (0).
1/10:England beat India
<p>Reece Topley took 6-24, the best figures by any England bowler in an ODI, as the world champions bounced back to beat India by 100 runs at Lord's on Thursday. (Reuters Photo)</p>
2/10:England level series 1-1
<p>India, chasing 247 to win, were dismissed for 146 with more than 11 overs to spare as England left the three-match series level at 1-1 heading into Sunday's finale at Old Trafford. (AP Photo)</p>
3/10:Reece Topley
<p>Topley's haul surpassed Paul Collingwood's previous England best of 6-31 against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2005. (AP Photo)</p>
4/10:Best ODI figures at Lord's
<p>Topley's figures were also the best in an ODI at Lord's, beating Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi's 6-35 against Bangladesh in a World Cup match three years ago. (Getty Images)</p>
5/10:Moeen Ali
<p>Earlier, England were reduced to 87-4, but a seventh-wicket partnership of 62 between Moeen Ali (47) and David Willey (41) took them to 246. (Getty Images)</p>
6/10:Hardik Pandya
<p>No India batsman made more than the 29 managed by all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. (AP Photo)</p>
7/10:Rohit Sharma
<p>India slumped to 31-4 inside 12 overs as Rohit Sharma fell to Topley and Rishabh Pant was also out for nought when he chipped Brydon Carse to mid-on. (AFP Photo)</p>
8/10:Virat Kohli
<p>Virat Kohli got off the mark with a straight driven four off Topley and later hit him for two more boundaries. (Reuters Photo)</p>
9/10:Another failure for Kohli
<p>But Kohli fell for 16 when caught behind off Willey. (AFP Photo)</p>
10/10:Topley topples India
<p>Mohammed Shami (23) and Jadeja were dismissed off successive deliveries to leave India at 140-8 before Topley ended the match by taking two wickets in four balls. (AP Photo)</p>Brydon Carse dismissed Rishabh Pant (0, 5b) and David Willey took out an out-of-form former captain Virat Kohli (16, 25b, 3x4) as England's pacers breathed fire on a pitch which had a bit of extra bounce. Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya each scored 29 off 44 balls, but both perished to England's spinners. While Pandya holed out to deep mid-wicket off Moeen Ali, Jadeja played all over a simple delivery from Liam Livingstone.
The poor show by India's batsmen would've left the bevy of former India cricketers at Lord's on Thursday, including Sachin Tendulkar, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina disappointed.
Rohit was trapped LBW off one that came in, while Dhawan was caught down the leg-side, as India's famed openers, after putting on an unbeaten 114-run stand in the first ODI, suffered completely contrasting fortunes in the second game of the series. India's post start became worse when Pant, having advanced from his crease, spooned a full toss from Brydon Carse to substitute fielder Phil Salt mid-on, becoming the second Indian batsman after Rohit to get out for a duck.
Having unleashed three glorious drives, Kohli looked to be finding his long-lost Midas touch, but succumbed to his tendency to play a ball that he could've left alone outside the off-stump, a typical left-arm seamer's delivery leaving him. 'Sky' looked good, before chopping one onto his stumps.
Earlier, England threatened to implode for the second time in a row, before their lower-order batsmen Moeen Ali (47, 64b, 2x4, 2x6), David Willey (41, 49b, 2x4, 2x6) and Liam Livingstone (33, 33b, 2x4, 2x6) rallied to help them finish at a respectable 246 in 46 overs.
If Bumrah tormented England on Tuesday, it was the turn of the wily leggie Chahal, who took four for 47, the best figures by an Indian bowler in an ODI at Lord's.
