Dravid at home among the flags and horns

Sri Lanka 187 India 188-6 India win by four wickets

It was hard to believe you were in Birmingham on Saturday. If the weather was hot and humid, you could have sworn you were in Madras or Bombay, such was the atmosphere inside Edgbaston for India and Sri Lanka's fourth game in the NatWest series.

The vast majority of the 20,000 or so spectators that crammed into the stadium would have left happy after a four-wicket win for India confirmed their qualification, and England's, for the final on Saturday, and an earlier than expected return to Colombo for the players of its little neighbour.

The aura created by the crowd, of which 80 per cent supported India, was unbelievable, and unique to this country. The cacophony of noise and energy fashioned by the drummers, flag-wavers, whistlers and horn-blowers made the day feel like a celebration of cricket as much as a competitive match where one of the sides was playing for its survival in the competition.

Sadly on this occasion the players declined to give those in attendance the entertainment, if not the result, they were looking for. In a game where the freedom to score runs was hampered by a pitch offering too much assistance to the bowlers, the anticipated run-feast failed to materialise and India gained their victory with 11 balls to spare due to a greater self-belief pulling them through when put in a predicament.

Sri Lanka, low in confidence having failed to win any of the six international matches on their tour, got off to a reasonable start. After losing the toss and two early wickets, Marvin Atapattu and Mahele Jayawardene repaired the situation with a partnership of 84 that took them to the encouraging position of 125 for 2 after 30 overs.

However, they got out in consecutive overs to Anil Kumble and after that a poor batting display by the middle and lower order failed to allow Sri Lanka to capitalise on the good work put in by Atapattu and Jayawardene.

A score of 187 never appeared enough to challenge India's strong batting line-up. That was until Chaminda Vaas, putting in his most impressive bowling spell of the tour, and Dilhara Fernando, who flummoxed Sachin Tendulkar with a magnificent slower ball, reduced India to 59 for 4. The silence that greeted the dismissal of the little master, was almost as staggering as the din saluting his arrival.

With the game in the balance Yuvraj Singh joined Rahul Dravid at the crease and in a manner reminiscent of that England experienced the previous Saturday at Lord's, these two turned India's fortunes round with a partnership of 91 that took their side to the brink of victory.

Worryingly for England with the final of this tournament and a Test series looming, Dravid looks in magnificent form, and his innings of 64 in difficult conditions deservedly won him the man of the match award.

The player to impress most even though he only scored 37 was Singh. The 20-year-old left-hander from Chandigarh appears to relish these situations and if he continues to perform like this it will not be long before his entrance to the arena receives the same reception as Tendulkar.