LONDON - India struck back to level their seven-match one-day series with England 1-1 yesterday after an imposing total of 329 for seven proved too much for the hosts in the second one-dayer at Bristol.
India won by nine runs after England reached 320 for eight on the
compact west country ground.
Sachin Tendulkar hit 15 fours and a six before he was caught behind in a controversial decision for 99. It was his 80th one-day 50, a milestone also reached by captain Rahul Dravid, who ended on 92 not out.
India set the pace with an impressive century opening stand between Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly.
The Indian pair capitalised on a hot afternoon to put on 113 following Dravid's decision to bat first.
Tendulkar led the way, reaching 50 off 56 balls, although it was a flurry of shots to the short boundaries from partner Ganguly that took India to 100 in the 17th over.
Ganguly made 39 before he fell to Andrew Flintoff in the 20th over. Tendulkar also fell to the England all-rounder, caught behind though replays showed that the ball appeared to strike his elbow.
India continued to pile on the runs before Yuvraj Singh, after making 49 off 53 balls, was caught by Collingwood off Stuart Broad in the 41st over.
Flintoff finished with his first five-wicket haul in one-dayers.
Alastair Cook (36) and Matt Prior (33) came out swinging but their stand came to an end when both fell in the 11th over.
Ian Bell tried to keep things moving and reached 64 but when Kevin Pietersen (25) and Collingwood (27) were both bowled by spinner Piyush Chawla, England's hopes of a remarkable win seemed to have disappeared.
Dimitri Mascarenhas produced a spectacular late blast, crashing five huge sixes in a 52 of 39 balls off the medium pacers before falling in the penultimate over going for another big hit.
The third match is at Edgbaston on Monday.
- REUTERS
