How refreshing that an entire summer of predictable one-day cricket should end with a match that turned the formbook on its head.
India looked down and out of this match when they were bowled out for 204, but then managed to scythe down England's top order and set up an unexpected victory.
A key factor in India's massively improved performance here was their decision to play a genuine wicketkeeper, rather than Rahul Dravid.
He simply did not look the part at the Oval and, while it gives India the option of playing an extra bowler, untidy wicketkeeping has as immediately detrimental impact on the rest of the team.
Dinesh Karthik is only 19, and had not played a senior international until today. But he produced a brilliant stumping to remove Michael Vaughan and, following a superb stop by Kaif at short leg, he whipped off the bails to run out Paul Collingwood.
He is supposed to be a more than useful batsman and has made a very good case for remaining in the team for the Champions Trophy.
India looked like a completely different team from the one that were so shambolic at Trent Bridge and the Oval.
There remains a concern about the form of the batsmen - although Saurav Ganguly made 90 and Dravid 52. Only Pathan joined them in double figures as India lost their last seven wickets for 63 runs.
But it is early wickets that set the tone in the field and, for the first time in this mini-series, India's opening bowlers hit the spot.
Marcus Trescothick and Vikram Solanki were removed before the end of the fourth over. Immediately, India's fielding shifted gear. They looked interested and busy.
Fielders dived in the outfield, and the throws came in directly over the bails. Within 16 overs, England had slumped to 48 for 5, and it seemed as if the game would finish early.
Sportsmen who are out of form can go to all manner of lengths to rediscover their touch, but nothing is as effective a spur as a crisis. Vaughan has struggled for his one-day form all summer but, when England then slipped to 62 for 6, there was nothing else for it: he simply had to deliver.
With Ashley Giles providing typically staunch support, he reached his first half-century in nine one-day international innings. It was not a pretty knock, by any stretch of the imagination, and the situation gave him the opportunity to play himself in, rather than start with all guns blazing.
When Giles knocked back a return catch to Harbhajan Singh after a stand of 92, Karthick produced his brilliant take down the leg side to stump Vaughan for 74 and, with it, went England's last hope.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
