England beat India by 42 runs in the third one-day international at Edgbaston here Monday to take a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series. India, set 282 to win, were bowled out for 239 after both captain Rahul Dravid (56) and Sourav Ganguly (72) fell to Chris Tremlett when well set.
England, after losing the toss, made 281 for eight with Ian Bell's 79, on his Warwickshire home ground, his third fifty of the series. The series continues at Old Trafford with a day/night match on Thursday.
Ian Bell scored his third fifty in as many matches. Bell, on his Warwickshire home ground, made 79 off 89 balls with two sixes and two fours before his checked drive off left-arm quick Rudra Pratap Singh, who finished with three for 55, lobbed to Dinesh Karthik at mid-off.
Together with England captain Paul Collingwood he shared a fourth-wicket stand of 75 in 88 balls. Bell's innings followed his 126 not out in England's series-opening win at the Rose Bowl and his 64 during India's nine-run success in Bristol on Friday.
But India's spinners, who'd taken important wickets during that win, did so again at Edgbaston with off-break bowler Ramesh Powar leading the way with two for 45. Some strong hitting from tailender Chris Tremlett (19 not out) boosted the score but it remained to be seen if it would be enough against India's batting line-up, especially as England were without Andrew Flintoff, their most economical bowler.
England, after losing the toss, saw openers Alastair Cook and Matt Prior make a brisk start. But having helped take the score to 76 in the 14th over, Prior sliced fast bowler Munaf Patel to Piyush Chawla at cover.
Cook, who had been dropped on 15 at long leg by RP Singh when pulling Zaheer Khan, had taken his score to 40 when he succumbed to Powar. Essex left-hander Cook was out when, playing for him what was a rare sweep, he miscued to Yuvraj Singh at short fine leg, in place for the false shot.
But the excellent Yuvraj excepted, much of India's out-fielding was poor. Pietersen had fallen to teenage leg-spinner Chawla's second ball in Bristol and the 18-year-old did not have long to wait to get his man again to the delight of the numerous India supporters in the 21,000 capacity crowd.
The South Africa-born batsman, on nine, charged down the pitch, played all round a googly and was stumped by Mahendra Singh Dhoni to leave England 118 for three in the 24th over.
Bell though swotted Chawla for six. But his stand with Collingwood ended when the England captain, on 44, reverse-swept Powar to substitute fielder Robin Uthappa at point. Collingwood's exit brought in Owais Shah, only in the team after Dimitri Mascarenhas injured his right hand in the warm-up.
Shah should have been out for 12 but Dhoni, with the batsman yards down the pitch, missed the stumping off Yuvraj. But the left-arm spinner had his revenge when he bowled Shah for 19.
Flintoff was ruled out with the knee problem he suffered while taking career-best figures of five for 56 at Bristol. Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, whose controversial omission in that match left England with a one-dimensional pace attack, replaced the all-rounder. India made one change with left-arm quick Khan, fit again after flu, replacing Ajit Agarkar.
ENGLAND:
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A. Cook c Yuvraj Singh b Powar 40
M. Prior c Chawla b Patel 34
I. Bell c Karthik b RP Singh 79
K. Pietersen st Dhoni b Chawla 9
P. Collingwood c sub b Powar 44
O. Shah b Yuvraj Singh 19
R. Bopara c Dravid b RP Singh 10
S. Broad c Yuvraj Singh b RP Singh 10
C. Tremlett not out 19
J. Anderson not out 0
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Extras: (b1, lb5, nb5, w6) 17
Total: (8 wkts, 50 overs) 281
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Fall of wickets: 1-76 (Prior), 2-92 (Cook), 3-118 (Pietersen), 4-193 (Collingwood), 5-226 (Shah), 6-246 (Bopara), 7-255 (Bell), 8-273 (Broad)
Did not bat: M Panesar.
Bowling: Khan 10-0-49-0 (1nb); RP Singh 9-0-55-3 (3w); Patel 5-0-37-1 (4nb); Powar 10-0-45-2 (3w); Chawla 9-0-50-1; Yuvraj Singh 7-0-39-1;
INDIA:
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S. Ganguly c Prior b Tremlett 72
S. Tendulkar c Collingwood b Anderson 8
D. Karthik c Cook b Broad 0
R. Dravid b Tremlett 56
Yuvraj Singh run out 45
MS Dhoni c Collingwood b Anderson 13
R. Powar c Bell b Collingwood 5
P. Chawla c Bell b Collingwood 1
Z. Khan b Panesar 11
RP Singh not out 12
M. Patel b Anderson 1
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Extras: (lb10, nb2, w3) 15
Total: (all out, 48.1 overs) 239
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