Great Britain looking forward to leveling one-day series against India

England coach Duncan Fletcher on Thursday advised his batsmen to be selective while playing the sweep shot against India 's spinners, after losing the first limited-overs international from a winning position.

Photo: Great Britain looking forward to leveling one-day series against India

Great Britain looking forward to leveling one-day series against India

"It's an effective shot and we see a lot of sides do it. At the end of the day you have got to be selective," Fletcher told reporters in New Delhi where the team held its practice session ahead of Friday's second match.

Seemingly coasting toward an easy victory at in the first match at New Delhi , the England batsmen collapsed while attempting to accelerate the run rate, losing seven wickets for just 47 runs.

Fletcher said England was a young side lacking in experience.

"The players still have to learn how to play in such situations in one-day cricket," he said.

Former England captain Graham Gooch was not as gentle in his summation.

" England had no business to lose from the overwhelming comfort of 117 for three ... Five of the England batsmen were out attempting a sweep or toying with the idea at a critical moment of decision," Gooch said in an article carried by the Press Trust of India news agency

"It's a skill which can't be taught overnight," he said.

England captain Andrew Flintoff will take the field for his 100th one-dayer Friday as his team attempts level the seven-match series at Nahar Singh Stadium, where the wicket again is expected to help the spinners.

"From our point of view it's a pretty slow wicket. It might bounce," Fletcher said of the pitch in the northern Indian city of Faridabad .

"Flintoff has got to 100 one-day matches and he is still feeling pretty strong. Hopefully, with all that pressure (of captaincy), he continues to enjoy the game," he said.

Fletcher said the team decided against traveling to Faridabad ahead of the match to travel complications associated with peak hour traffic. Faridabad is 25 kilometers (15 miles) from New Delhi .

He, however, visited the stadium on Thursday morning and inspected the wicket, reports the AP.

D.M.