Cricket story by Georgina Scane, Thu, 23 Mar 2006 10:32:00 GMT


MUMBAI, India - England beat India at their own game on the fifth and final day of the third Test match at Mumbai to square the series 1-1. Shaun Udal was the unlikely hero for the visitors as he took 4-14 in an inspired spell after lunch to send India from 75-3 to 100 all out.

India began the day at a precarious 18-1 and soon after fell to 33-3 as Hoggard got Kumble's wicket and Flintoff accounted for Jaffer. Then came a hope giving partnership between Tendulkar and Dravid that took India to 75-3 at lunch. After lunch it was all England as Udal and Flintoff sent the Indians to doom. Udal's wicket of Tendulkar turned the tables and from there on England did not look back.

It was a horrible batting performance by the hosts that cost them the match and the series. Indian skipper Rahul Dravid praised his England counterpart and credited the victory to him, "He was phenomenal and truly deserved the man-of-the-series award," Dravid said. "Every time he went out he scored runs and was their best bowler on view right throughout. He did a great job as a captain in his first series and he has truly shown why he is the greatest all-rounder in the world at the moment." Flintoff felt his young side had redeemed themselves, "We didn't deserve to go into this 1-0 behind because we have played some good stuff out here," he said. "But the manner in which we have played, taking on India with a young team, winning for the first time here in more than 20 years means this is definitely up there with what we did last summer."

Match Summary
Toss: India won the toss and fielded first
England 1st innings 400 all out - Strauss 128, Shreesanth 4-70
India 1st innings 279 all out - Dravid 52, Anderson 4-40
England 2nd innings 191 all out - Flintoff 50, Kumble 4-49
India 2nd innings 100 all out - Tendulkar 34, Udal 4-14

Result - England won the match by 212 runs
Man of the Match - Andrew Flintoff
Man of the Series- Andrew Flintoff

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