Kolkata: Chris Woakes bounced back from being smashed for 10 off the first two balls of the final over to ensure England grabbed a hard-earned five-run victory over India in Kolkata.
The seamer sent down four dot balls, and removed key man Kedar Jadhav for 90, as Eoin Morgan's men claimed a consolation win to ensure the three-match ODI series ended 2-1 in the hosts' favour. Earlier, thanks to a late charge by Ben Stokes, England finished with 321/8 in 50 overs against India in the third ODI at Kolkata. Stokes scored 57 not out off 39 balls to propel the innings late on, after Jason Roy (65) and Jonny Bairstow (56) both scored half-centuries.
Put into bat, England got off to a slow start as the new ball proved lively, prompting several miscues and close calls, as Roy and Sam Billings (35) brought up their 50-stand in 66 balls. Roy scored his eighth ODI half-century off 41 balls, and put on 98 runs for the opening wicket with Billings. He hit 10 fours and a six. Billings was caught at short fine leg off Ravindra Jadeja (2/62) in the 18th over.
Two overs later he bowled Roy too, for a third time in three matches. But Bairstow and skipper Eoin Morgan (43) put on 84 runs for the third wicket to steady the innings. Despite the slow start, England crossed 150 in the 28th over and looked set for another big score. Morgan survived an lbw shout in the next over off Jasprit Bumrah, via DRS review, and Bairstow also survived in the same 29th over as he was caught at third man off a no ball.
They put on 50 runs off 59 balls, before Morgan was out caught at fine leg off Hardik Pandya (3/49) in the 34th over. That dismissal stalled England’s progress as the medium-pace all-rounder bowled a tidy spell.
England crossed 200 in the 35th over, while Bairstow scored his third ODI half-century off 58 balls. But, they lost Jos Buttler (11) immediately afterwards when he was caught at cover off Pandya. He also accounted for Bairstow, who was caught at backward point. The visitors were reduced to 246/6 in the 43rd over, when Bumrah dismissed Moeen Ali (2) cheaply. Stokes and Chris Woakes (34) then added 73 runs off just 40 balls, as some late hitting helped England cross 300 in the penultimate over.
Scorecard
England: J. Roy b Jadeja 65, S. Billings c Bumrah b Jadeja 35, J. Bairstow c Jadeja b Pandya 56, E. Morgan c Bumrah b Pandy 43, J. Buttler c Rahul b Pandya 11, B. Stokes (not out) 57, M. Ali c Jadeja b Bumrah 2, C. Woakes (run out) 34, L. Plunkett (run out) 1. Extras: (b1, lb8, w7, nb1) 17. Total: (for 8 wkts, in 50 overs) 321. FoW: 1-98, 2-110, 3-194, 4-212, 5-237, 6-246, 7-319, 8-321.
Bowling: Kumar 8-0-56-0 (2w), Pandya 10-1-49-3 (1w), Bumrah 10-1-68-1 (1nb, 3w), Yuvraj Singh 3-0-17-0, Jadeja 10-0-62-2, Ashwin 9-0-60-0 (1w).
India: A. Rahane b Willey 1, K.L. Rahul c Buttler b Ball 11, V. Kohli c Buttler b Stokes 55, Yuvraj Singh c Billings b Plunkett 45, M.S. Dhoni c Buttler b Ball 25, K. Jadhav c Billings b Woakes 90, H. Pandya b Stokes 56, R. Jadeja c Bairstow b Woakes 10, R. Ashwin c Woakes b Stokes 1, B. Kumar (not out) 0, J. Bumrah (not out) 0. Extras: (lb8, w13, nb1) 22. Total: (for 9 wkts, in 50 overs) 316.
FoW: 1-13, 2-37, 3-102, 4-133, 5-173, 6-277, 7-291, 8-297, 9-316.
Bowling: Woakes 10-0-75-2 (nb), Willey 2-0-8-1 (5w), Ball 10-0-56-2 (1w), Plunkett 10-0-65-1 (2w), Stokes 10-0-63-3 (5w), Ali 8-0-41-0.
