BIRMINGHAM (Reuters):

England made short work of a long India tail at Edgbaston yesterday to win the third one-day international by 42 runs and take a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series.

India, chasing 282 to win, matched the required strike rate when their specialist batsmen were at the crease but the lower order were unable to maintain the momentum. After reaching 190 for four, the visitors collapsed to 239 all out from 48.1 overs in reply to England's 281 for eight.

England's innings was anchored by Warwickshire's Ian Bell, who struck 79 off 89 balls with two sixes on his home ground. Matt Prior (34 from 40 balls) again got a start but failed to carry on and the intro-duction of spinners Ramesh Powar and Piyush Chawla soon accounted for Alastair Cook (40) andn unusually hesitant Kevin Pietersen (9).

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