England edge India in third ODI

Updated at: 0339 PST, Saturday, September 10, 2011
England edge India in third ODI LONDON: England survived some anxious moments to complete a three-wicket victory over India under a full moon at the Oval on Friday night in a rain-reduced third one-day international.

Chasing 218 from 43 overs under the Duckworth/Lewis system after an hour's rain break in the day-night match, England survived a wobble in mid-innings to get over the line with seven balls to spare.

England lead 2-0 in the five-match series after the first game was rained out. The teams meet again at Lord's on Sunday and in Cardiff next Friday.

World Cup champions India, who lost their place at the top of the world rankings during a 4-0 whitewash in the test series, rallied from 58 for five to reach 234 for seven from their 50 overs.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, an injury replacement for Gautam Gambhir, stroked the ball beautifully to score 78 from 89 deliveries. He added 112 with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (69) and 59 from 31 balls with Ravichandran Ashwin (36 not out).

Alastair Cook asked India to bat after winning the toss and won an immediate reward when Ajinkya Rahane, who had scored 155 from 120 balls in his three previous one-day internationals, was dismissed without scoring, caught behind prodding at James Anderson's fourth delivery of the day.

Anderson then ran out Rahul Dravid (2), swooping from mid-off to pick up the ball and throw down the stumps at the batsman's end in one motion.

Dravid, who had been late starting after Parthiv Patel had pushed the ball into the off and then hesitated before running, looked distinctly unimpressed with his partner's calling, swishing his bat in irritation as he to the pavilion.

Patel did not linger, departing for three when Anderson uprooted his off-stump and Virat Kholi (7) edged Anderson to give wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter his second catch and compound India's misery.

Dhoni smacked his second ball for four and Suresh Raina launched Anderson into the crowd for the only six of the innings. Raina reached 21 before he tried to swipe Broad to leg and was caught behind.

RESCUE ACT

With the innings in disarray, Dhoni and Jadeja batted with skill and judgment.

Jadeja drove Broad lavishly through extra cover then struck the pace bowlers for consecutive boundaries and sliced Graeme Swann to the third man boundary.

Dhoni dismissed Ravi Bopara to the boundary with a wristy flick and brought up his half-century from 69 balls to a huge cheer from the substantial Indian contingent in the crowd.

The singles continued to come freely but neither batsmen could penetrate the field and 11 overs were bowled without a boundary before Jadeja leg glanced Anderson for a four to bring up his half-century.

Dhoni skied a low full toss from Tim Bresnan to Cook at mid-off and Jadeja was caught by Ian Bell off Jade Dernbach but India still took 51 from the batting powerplay and 84 from the final 10 overs.

England began brightly with Kieswetter lofting Praveen Kumar for six over the mid-wicket boundary, sweeping a second to fine leg from the same bowler and driving a third off Munaf Patel over long-off.

He lost Cook lbw to Patel for 23 off the last ball of the compulsory powerplay, after the pair had put on 63 off 62 balls for the first wicket, and survived a straightforward caught-and-bowled chance to Patel on 41.

Kieswetter went to 51 when he was comprehensively bowled middle stump by slow left-armer Jadeja. Jonathan Trott (11) followed five balls later, bowled by off-spinner Ashwin by a delivery which slid past the outside of his bat.

Rain began to fall and the players left the field with England 95 for three, sufficient for victory under the Duckworth/Lewis method for deciding rained-out matches.

On their return Ian Bell was run out for 23 when wicketkeeper Dhoni threw down the stumps and Ben Stokes, who struck a six but who could make little of the spinners, was bowled for 20 trying to sweep Ashwin.

India were back in the game but Bopara (40) and Tim Bresnan (28) took advantage of the slippery ball and wet outfield to add 60 for the seventh wicket and set up an ultimately comfortable victory. (Reuters)