Starring: Uthappa, Sreesanth

For them, the ball actually started rolling six months ago, in Chandigarh. It was the Challengers Trophy.........

For them, the ball actually started rolling six months ago, in Chandigarh. It was the Challengers Trophy, time for Robin Uthappa and Sreesanth to deliver their visiting cards on the national stage. Uthappa scored a blistering century and Sreesanth turned up the pace to have the best of India8217;s batting might8212;V V S Laxman bowled through the gate8212;floundering.

Today, Uthappa picked up from there against England on debut to arrive in world cricket, while Sreesanth proved that even if he8217;s yet to stem the flow of runs8212;economy rate of over six in ODIs8212; he8217;s got what matters most, the ability to take wickets. Uthappa8217;s 86 of 96 balls with 12 fours and a six, and Man-of-the-Match Sreesanth8217;s six for 55 also meant that Team India8217;s cupboard is overflowing. Just in time, too, with the World Cup around the corner.

As skipper Rahul Dravid put it, 8216;8216;It will help us now to finalise the team for some of the important tournaments towards the end of the year.8217;8217;

8216;8216;I have got a very good start. Now let8217;s see, how well I make use of it,8217;8217; said Uthappa, son of Bangalore-based hockey coach Venu Uthappa.

For him, it was all about batting in his first one-day international alongside his idol, statemate and captain Rahul Dravid. 8216;8216;There was all the inspiration that I needed. I just had to remain focused,8217;8217; he said.

The debut did come with a touch of tragedy though. Fourteen runs short of his hundred, he was run out in bizarre fashion8212;hit by cramps, as he hobbled back for a second run off a rasping straight drive to long-on, Uthappa failed to ground his bat and was beaten by James Anderson8217;s throw to wicket-keeper Geraint Jones.

8216;8216;It was his first game and the team needed a good start. I am sure he will gain the confidence to go up from here,8217;8217; said Dravid.

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Sreesanth, meanwhile, got going with two early wickets8212;Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior8212;and returned to clean up the tail. But Ian Blackwell8217;s wicket, he says, was the one he 8216;8216;liked the most8217;8217; after he had deceived the left-hander with a slower one, forcing him to hole out to Suresh Raina at long-on.

8216;8216;Dinesh Kaarthick took a magnificent catch and so did the players near the boundary,8217;8217; he said. 8216;8216;With each passing match, one looks for further confidence and that comes with a good performance. Therefore, in many ways, these wickets will definitely help me further,8217;8217; he added.

Dravid, meanwhile, had a word of caution. 8216;8216;The youngsters have put their hands up and performed well. The boys select themselves. Still, there is a long way to go. It is still a young team, a team in progress. We are nowhere near the finished article.8217;8217;

HIS DREAM DEBUT

n Robin Uthappa8217;s 86 against England on Saturday is the best score ever on debut by an Indian in one-day internationals

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n The previous best score by an Indian was held by Brijesh Patel, who made 82 off 78 balls with eight fours and two sixes against England at Leeds on July 13,1974

n West Indian Desmond Haynes, Zimbabwean Andy Flower, England8217;s Dennis Amiss and Pakistan8217;s Saleem Elahi are the only four batsman who scored a hundred on debut in one day internationals

AND HIS BEST EVER

8226; S Sreesanth8217;s six for 55 was his best performance in ODIs

n The pacer8217;s previous best was four for 58 against Pakistan at Karachi on February 19,2006

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n Sreesanth8217;s haul is the best bowling performance for India in an ODI against England at home and second best overall after Ashish Nehra8217;s six for 23 at Durban on February 26,2003

n He also became the first Indian bowler to take six wickets against England at home in ODIs

8212; S Pervez Qaiser