England match-winner surprised by success

New Delhi, January 31: England left-arm spinner Ashley Giles conceded on Thursday he had not been expecting a second spell which eventually helped his team win the fifth one-day international against India here.

"Having gone for 32 in my first four overs, I was not too sure I would get to bowl again," said man-of-the-match Giles, who was hit for three sixes by India captain Sourav Ganguly during his first spell.

The Warwickshire spinner finished with 5-57 for his maiden five-wicket haul in one-day internationals as England beat India by two runs to keep alive their chances of levelling the six-match series.

England trail 3-2 going into the last day-night game at Bombay on Sunday.

"I got a message from coach Duncan Fletcher to bowl round the stumps to the left-handers. I did that and fired in the balls rather than flighting them," said Giles, who gave away just 25 in his disciplined second and last six-over spell.

India, chasing 272, were 211-3 in 40 overs when Giles turned the match around with the crucial wicket of Ganguly (74), caught in the deep by substitute Owais Shah while going for another six.

"That was the turning point," said Giles. "But I would say there was some amount of luck in that dismissal as he holed out in the deep."

England captain Nasser Hussain was all praise for Giles, saying the spinner had always fancied his chances.

"Giles is a pretty positive player," Hussain said. "We had runs on the board and it was just a matter of getting those couple of wickets. There is always that extra pressure while chasing."

Indian skipper Ganguly admitted that Giles's second spell made all the difference.

"He won the game for England," Ganguly said. "There was pressure on us, but I thought we were doing a good job of the run-chase till Giles was brought in for a second spell."

Ganguly regained form with his first half-century of the series, but said the runs did not matter as his team had lost.

"The runs count only when we win," Ganguly said. "Now the last match at Bombay becomes all that more important."

Ganguly lauded middle-order batsman Mohammad Kaif (46), who shared a 111-run stand for the fourth wicket with his captain.

"Kaif batted very well, considering that it was his first knock in one-day internationals."

Kaif, who has played four Tests, did not get a chance to bat on his one-day debut in the previous game at Kanpur on Monday as India won by eight wickets.