LONDON, (Reuters) – India’s slow bowlers tormented England again to claim a six-wicket victory in the third one-day international in Nottingham yesterday to go 2-0 up in the five-match series.
Having lost the toss and being put in to bat at Trent Bridge, the home team were bowled out for 227, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin leading the way with three for 39.
Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina then shared a partnership of 87 for the fourth wicket to help India reach their target with seven overs remaining.
The first game at Bristol was abandoned due to bad weather.
England struggled to cope with the slow bowlers in Wednesday’s 133-run defeat and after a stand of 82 in the third match, openers Alastair Cook (44) and Alex Hales (42) fell to part-time spinners Rayudu and Raina respectively. Slow left-armer Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin then removed Joe Root (2) and Eoin Morgan (10) as the hosts lost their first four wickets for 38 runs.
Ian Bell (28) was superbly run out by Mohit Sharma before Ashwin dismissed Ben Stokes for two.
Jos Buttler (42) became Ashwin’s third victim and India then took the final two wickets of James Tredwell (30) and Steven Finn (6).
India attacked the bowling from the start but Shikhar Dhawan (16) fell to Woakes and fast bowler Finn, making his first England appearance in more than a year, had Ajinkya Rahane caught behind by Buttler for 45.
Virat Kohli’s 40 steadied the ship before Rayudu (64 not out) and Raina (42) led the visitors home.
The fourth game is in Birmingham on Tuesday.
SCOREBOARD
England Innings
A. Cook st Dhoni b Rayudu 44
A. Hales c Dhoni b Raina 42
I. Bell run out (M. Sharma) 28
J. Root st Dhoni b Jadeja 2
E. Morgan c Dhoni b Ashwin 10
J. Buttler b Ashwin 42
B. Stokes c Raina b Ashwin 2
C. Woakes c M. Sharma b Shami 15
J. Tredwell c&b B. Kumar 30
S. Finn run out (Rayudu, Dhoni) 6
J. Anderson not out 0
Extras (lb-3 nb-1 w-2) 6
Total (all out, 50 overs) 227
Fall of wickets: 1-82 A. Hales,2-93 A. Cook,3-97 J. Root,4-120 E. Morgan,5-138 I. Bell,6-149 B. Stokes,7-182 C. Woakes,8-202 J. Buttler,9-226 J. Tredwell,10-227 S. Finn Bowling B. Kumar 8 – 0 – 45 – 1(nb-1) M. Sharma 3 – 0 – 17 – 0 M. Shami 9 – 0 – 40 – 1(w-1) R. Ashwin 10 – 0 – 39 – 3 S. Raina 8 – 0 – 37 – 1 A. Rayudu 2 – 0 – 8 – 1(w-1) R. Jadeja 10 – 0 – 38 – 1
India Innings
A. Rahane c Buttler b Finn 45
S. Dhawan c Morgan b Woakes 16
V. Kohli c Tredwell b Stokes 40
A. Rayudu not out 64
S. Raina c Woakes b Tredwell 42
R. Jadeja not out 12
Extras (lb-2 w-7) 9
Total (for 4 wickets, 43 overs) 228
Fall of wickets: 1-35 S. Dhawan,2-85 A. Rahane,3-120 V. Kohli,4-207 S. Raina Did not bat: M. Dhoni, R. Ashwin, B. Kumar, M. Shami, M. Sharma Bowling J. Anderson 7 – 0 – 29 – 0(w-2) C. Woakes 8 – 1 – 43 – 1 J. Tredwell 10 – 1 – 46 – 1 S. Finn 8 – 0 – 50 – 1(w-2) B. Stokes 6 – 0 – 31 – 1(w-1) J. Root 4 – 0 – 27 – 0(w-1) Referees Umpire: Michael Gough Umpire: Paul Reiffel TV umpire: Rob Bailey Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle Result: India won by 6 wickets