England end chastening Indian tour on high note

England ended their rollercoaster 2011 back on a small upward curve and remain rightly proud of what has been mostly a year of outstanding achievement.

Victory was badly needed in Saturday night’s one-off Twenty20 in Kolkata, to avoid a seven-match losing run which would have been an inappropriately dispiriting way for England to sign off for the next two months. The Test and Twenty20 world No 1 team still know they have a worrying blind spot when it comes to 50-over cricket – especially in the subcontinent, as India mercilessly exposed in this month’s unexpected 5-0 drubbing.

Even so, as they drew breath from a 45-match year completed in winning style thanks largely to Kevin Pietersen in a six-wicket stroll at Eden Gardens, there was still satisfaction at a job largely well done to accompany the relief at finally rediscovering how to win.

“To be number one in the world in two out of three competitions – we’re not in a bad place, are we, really?” England fast bowler Tim Bresnan asked. “Test match cricket is the pinnacle of the sport. The way we’ve played our cricket over this year is fantastic, but we’re still looking to improve in any way we can.”

Memories of that one-day international whitewash might have been soothed slightly while Pietersen was smashing India to all parts on Saturday, but they will fade more significantly only if England can prove to themselves and others that they have learned the lessons required.

“It was certainly upsetting, the 5-0 defeat, especially the way we lost the other night [when England lost all ten wickets for 47 runs in the final ODI in Kolkata],” said Bresnan. “It’s been tough. We knew it was going to be tough, and we’ve got a lot of improvement to make in subcontinental conditions – there’s no doubt about that.”

When England return to the field early next year it will be initially in their specialist subject of Test cricket. But it will also be in Asia – the Middle East against Pakistan this time – so they know once again they will need to crack the conditions. They will have a better chance of doing so after the rest they have been allocated.

“We know that’s going to be a tough series as well,” said Bresnan. “It won’t be quite subcontinental like it is in India. But you’ll get the dry, docile wickets, so we’ve got to put a plan in place to get the results we need.”