England beat India by seven wickets in the fifth and final One-day International here Sunday to end the series at 3-2 in favour of the hosts
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Ian Bell's unbeaten 113 helped England to a seven-wicket win over India in their fifth and final One-Day International played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium here Sunday.
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Having already lost the series, the visitors secured the consolation win when they chased down India's score of 226 all out without much difficulty and with 16 balls to spare.
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Bell played the anchor role, taking his team past the finishing line with help from Joe Root (31) and Eoin Morgan (40 not out).
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Alastair Cook won the toss and put India in to bat in cold morning conditions.
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Ian Bell. Photo: AFP
The Indian batsmen were in trouble from the outset, playing one too many expansive shots. The hosts had lost half of the side by the 22nd over with the score on 79.
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Gautam Gambhir (24) once again failed with the bat as the opening partnership woes continued for India. Rohit Sharma (4), Virat Kohli (0) and Yuvraj Singh (0) fell with the score on 24 and from then on, it was always going to be tough to get back in the game.
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Suresh Raina, who has been in sparkling form this series, was the only silver-lining on an otherwise lacklustre day for the hosts.
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His innings of 83 off 98 balls took India to a fighting score. The left-hander was well supported by Ravindra Jadeja (39), who has also impressed in the five-match series.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar (31) showed his credentials with the bat, playing a cameo late on in the innings.u00a0
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In reply, England started off shakily. Indian umpire Sudhir Asnani once again made a case for the Decision Review System (DRS) with another appalling decision.
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Ishant Sharma in his first over had the English captain caught behind but Asnani failed to see or hear the edge thus leaving the bowler and fielders stunned.
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But from thereon the visitors didn't put a foot wrong and coasted to victory.
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There were many positives for the visitors, who will be happy to see the performances of Tim Bresnan and James Tredwell with the ball.
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Bresnan (4/45) got the ball to swing and bounce asking many tough questions of the Indian batsman. But the find of the tournament for the English has been off-spinner Tredwell (2/25).
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Tredwell was once again economical and took two crucial wickets. His innocuous off-spin has troubled the Indians, who have tried to dominate him but have failed miserably.
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The following is the scoreboard of India against England in the fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium here Sunday:
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India
Gautam Gambhir c Bell b Tredwell 24
Rohit Sharma c Tredwell b Bresnan 4
Virat Kohli c Tredwell b Bresnan 0
Yuvraj Singh c Morgan b Finn 0
Suresh Raina c Bell b Woakes 83
Mahendra Singh Dhoni lbw b Finn 15
Ravindra Jadeja c Bell b Tredwell 39
Ravichandran Ashwin c Finn b Patel 19
Bhuvneshwar Kumar c Finn b Bresnan 31
Shami Ahmed c and b Bresnan 1
Ishant Sharma not out 0
Extras: (lb 4, w 7) 11
Total: (all out in 49.4 overs) 226
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Fall of wickets: 1-13 (R.G. Sharma, 3.3 overs), 2-13 (Kohli, 3.4), 3-24 (Yuvraj Singh, 6.5), 4-49 (Gambhir, 12.2), 5-79 (Dhoni, 21.1), 6-157 (Jadeja, 38.4), 7-177 (Raina, 41.4), 8-211 (Ashwin, 46.6), 9-225 (Kumar, 49.3), 10-226 (Shami Ahmed, 49.4)
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Bowling:
Steve Finn 10-2-28-2
Tim Bresnan 9.4-1-45-4
Chris Woakes 9-1-45-1
James Tredwell 10-1-25-2
Joe Root 5-0-34-0
Samit Patel 6-0-46-1
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England innings:u00a0
Alastair Cook b I Sharma 22
Ian Bell not out 113u00a0
Kevin Pietersen c Jadeja b Shami Ahmed 6
Joe Root b Jadeja 31
Eoin Morgan not out 40
Extras: (lb 8, w 7) 15u00a0
Total: (3 wickets; 47.2 overs) 227
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Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Cook, 11.5 overs), 2-64 (Pietersen, 18.1), 3-143 (Root, 35.4)u00a0
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Bowling:
Bhuvneshvar Kumar 9-1-45-0u00a0
Shami Ahmed 9-1-46-1
Ishant Sharma 10-3-37-1
Ravichandran Ashwin 10-0-50-0u00a0
Yuvraj Singh 2-0-15-0u00a0
Ravindra Jadeja 7.2-0-26-1u00a0
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Match details:
Toss: England chose to field
Umpires: Sudhir Asnani and Steve Davis (Australia)
TV umpire: C Shamsuddin
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
Reserve umpire: Subrat Das
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