IndiaPost.com - India crash to 42-run defeat

BIRMINGHAM: Their much-vaunted batting line-up made a mess of a chase as India crashed to a 42-run defeat against England in the third cricket one dayer here.

Inserted by Rahul Dravid, England posted 281 for eight with handsome contributions from Ian Bell (79), Alastair Cook (40), Matt Prior (34) and Captain Paul Collingwood (44). Chasing 282 for victory, India folded for 239 in 48.1 overs with Sourav Ganguly (72), Rahul Dravid (56) and Yuvraj Singh (45) offering some semblance of resistance.

Beaten in the opener at Southampton, India drew parity with a close win in the Bristol run-fest and both the sides now move to Manchester for the fourth tie of the seven-match series scheduled with the hosts enjoying a 2-1 lead. Bell had a particularly satisfying day -- top scoring for the side and then taking two superb catches and runnings out Yuvraj.

India's run chase suffered early double blow with Sachin Tendulkar (8) and Dinesh Kaarthick (0) returning in quick succession and that did not augur well for the side. Tendulkar's fluffed uppercut found Collingwood at point to end his 19-ball stay in the middle and a sequel of the disaster was just five deliveries away.

This time, it was Kaarthick who perished more or less in the same fashion with Chris Broad being the bowler and Cook the catcher. India was in early trouble at 36 for two. Ganguly had shown glimpses of old aggression by hitting Anderson for four boundaries in the same over, including three in a row, but he too recoiled after the back-to-back setbacks.

Dravid looked more at ease as he hit Stuart Broad for three boundaries in the 15th over and then struck Collingwood for a huge six followed by a four to overtake Ganguly for his 51-ball fifty. Two balls later, Ganguly too notched up his half century that took 82 balls.

The duo had put on 104 runs off 19 overs in a Dravid-dominated stand when disaster struck, and in pair. Having conceded 20 runs in his first two overs, Chris Tremlette sought redemption in the first over of his second spell when the ball ricocheted off Dravid's angled bat to disturb his woodwork.

That was the end of Dravid's 61-ball knock of 56 that included seven fours and a six. In his next over, it was Ganguly who perished caught behind as England's much-maligned stumper Matt Prior, for once, held on to a difficult catch. Ganguly's subdued 72 came off 104 balls, including nine boundaries, apart from a six off Monty Panesar.

Chips were down but MS Dhoni (13) could not do justice to his match-winner status and with his dismissal, India had lost the top half of its much-vaunted batting order for 190 and the writing was clear on the wall.

Collingwood then scalped Ramesh Powar (6) and Piyush Chawla (1) in his 10th over and as if that was not enough, Zaheer Khan (11) called for a run and then changed his mind to leave Yuvraj, India's last hope, stranded. Yuvraj's 39-ball cameo of 45 that included four fours and a six.

Eventually, India's innings folded 42 runs short of the hosts' total. Earlier, India's new nemesis Bell, having scored 126 not out and 64 in the first two games, once again displayed his fondness for the Indian bowling and top scored with 79 (89b,2x4,2x6).