Bopara opens with 60 as England make 240 in India

KANPUR (Reuters) - All rounder Ravi Bopara hit 60 runs as a makeshift opener to help a shaky England to 240 all out in the third one day international against India on Thursday.

Bopara struck his fourth half century in one-dayers and put on 79 runs with Ian Bell (46) for the opening wicket after England, 2-0 down in the seven-match series, won the toss and elected to bat.

England's batting reshuffle largely failed to work, however, and off spinner Harbhajan Singh grabbed three wickets as India bowled the tourists out with two balls to spare.

Harbhajan, 28, returned a splendid three for 31 to reach career tally of 200 one-day wickets and pacemen Munaf Patel and Ishant Sharma took two wickets each.

Owais Shah (40), Andrew Flintoff (26) and Samit Patel (26) were the other notable contributors to England's modest total. India will need to achieve the victory target in 49 overs after the match was curtailed by a 45-minute delay at the start caused by hazy conditions.

EARLY MOMENTUM

England showed early evidence of a determination to bounce back in the series but ran out of steam as the Indian slow bowlers once again took charge.

Bell and Bopara made a cautious start and scored only 16 runs in the first seven overs before stepping up to play fluent shots.

Bell hit eight fours and looked good for a big score until he was caught behind off Munaf trying a casual steer to third man.

Harbhajan wrested the initiative back for India with the wickets of captain Kevin Pietersen (13) and Paul Collingwood (1) off successive overs as England slumped to 106 for three.

Pietersen, promoting himself to number three, hit Yuvraj Singh's occasional left-arm spin for six but paid the price after charging down the pitch to Harbhajan and holing out to Zaheer Khan at long off.

Harbhajan also had the out-of-form Collingwood stumped as he played forward to a doosra delivery.

Bopara held one end up but England suffered with Flintoff cast in the unusual role of having to consolidate after being sent in ahead of Shah, who hit 58 at number three in the second match of the series in Indore.

Bopara drove Yuvraj past cover for his eighth four to reach fifty but the bowler had him stumped with a delivery which spun away from the batsman. Flintoff was the fifth out, trapped leg before by off spinner Yusuf Pathan.

Recalled fast bowler Ishant conceded 10 runs in an eventful 10-ball 47th over which had two no balls, a wide which went for four and then the wickets of Samit Patel and Matt Prior (5) off succesive deliveries.