THIRD ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL, Kanpur:
India 198-5 (40 overs) bt England 240 (48.4 overs) by 16 runs (D/L method)
Match reduced to 49 overs per side

By Mark Mitchener

606: DEBATE Debate all the action on 606

1132: Right then, man of the match today for his figures of 10-2-31-3 is Harbhajan Singh - and the "Turbanator" also wins a motorbike from the sponsors!

Thanks for sticking with us if you've been there from the beginning through the delayed start to the curtailed finish - we do appreciate all the e-mails and texts you send, even if there are just too many for us to print them all. If you want to continue discussing the game, I can direct you to 606. But apart from that, I hope you'll join us for the fourth ODI on Sunday - the good news for those of us in the UK is that it's a day-nighter, so play starts at 0830 GMT. I'll be back in this chair then, and I hope you'll join us. TTFN.

1126: An interesting point (and I had to look this up on the ICC website is the description of the result. In a game like this when the side batting second's innings is curtailed (and Team 2 is either ahead or behind of the D/L par score), the winning side is said to have won by X number of runs (in this case 16), whether they batted first or second.

However, in a match which is affected by the weather during the game (and hence produces a revised target for Team 2) but is played out to its conclusion, if Team 1 wins then they win by runs, if Team 2 wins then they win by wickets - like in regular cricket. My thanks to my ever-knowledgeable "gaffer" Oliver Brett for explaining it to me!
INTERNET LINK: ICC playing regulations (including Duckworth/Lewis)

1116: TV says it's official - India have won.

INDIA WIN BY 16 RUNS (D/L METHOD) AND LEAD SEVEN-GAME SERIES 3-0

Given that the umpires are still out in the middle, the game's not technically officially over. Theoretically, they could resume in the 1,000,000-1 scenario of the light improving. But to all intents and purposes, it is over.

"No doubt fielding is important and catches do win matches but no cricketer has ever been picked for England due to their ability in the field. At this level quality fielding is expected, Colly has to start batting!"
Jonathan Hawtree in the TMS inbox

40th over - Ind 198-5
KP peers at his D/L sheet - and he's going to bowl himself again, is this a clue that England have to bowl spin to prevent the umpires offering the light? Pathan comes down the crease, the ball flies down the leg side and if Prior had taken it cleanly, he could have stumped Pathan - but he doesn't. Pathan dabs a careful single, Dhoni adds another to nick the strike. The umps check their light meters again... ominous...

39th over - Ind 196-5
KP has a chat with the umpires, and then throws the ball to Samit Patel. Dhoni carves the left-arm tweaker to deep cover for a single, but Pathan is more watchful against his fellow spinner - his priority being to preserve his wicket, given that losing a wicket means a sharp rise in the required D/L rate. He carefully guides a single, just two from the over, but you'd still favour India as the light meters are whipped out again.

38th over - Ind 194-5
Flintoff continues for his ninth over. Simon Mann on TMS reckons the light's okay for now, but doubts we'll be able to go the full 49 overs as "it'll be pitch black by then". Pathan opens the face and cleverly guides the ball to the third man boundary for four - and to confound England's field placings, guides the next ball to fine leg and bisects the two boundary fielders out there for another four! Simon wonders whether KP thinks the light will have gone by the time he has to use the "fifth bowler"'s overs anyway... Just two scoring strokes from the over, but they were two mighty fours. That's it for the powerplays, so England can put the field back.

"I agree with Alok (25th over) about ODIs being spread about the more "remote" parts of India. It's a huge country with an insatiable appetite for the one-day game. But Tests should be reserved for the major cricketing cities where big crowds will turn up for five-day games"
John, Devon, in the TMS inbox

37th over - Ind 186-5
Broad on for his ninth over, but the first ball is a wide and then Dhoni clobbers him for a four through mid-wicket. The next ball is fuller and straighter, Dhoni can only steer a single to long-off to bring new batsman Yusuf Pathan on strike. Pathan aims a big drive, but only picks up a single as it dribbles to long-on. Dhoni nudges a single to cover, Pathan tucks the last ball for a single to fine leg - 55 needed from 72 balls, and Aggers says India are about 15 runs ahead on D/L. And the umpires get their light meters out!

"I think Dan in Loughbrough (25th over) needs to consider that Saj Mahmood was probably about to lap the lot of them"
Lloyd, Watford, in the TMS inbox

35th over - Ind 170-4
Yep, India are going to take their batting powerplay - overs 35, 36, 37 and 38. An interesting conundrum for KP - he only has six overs in the innings from Broad, Flintoff and Swann. Apart from that, he could turn to Anderson (0-47 from six overs), or any of the part-timers. With the visibility deteriorating, Duckworth-Lewis could become a factor. He chooses Swann, and Yuvraj steers him for two off his legs before hoisting him high over long-on for six. KP sends mid-on back, but has to bring deep mid-wicket in. A straight-drive brings Yuvraj another two, and you have to feel for Swanny in this circumstance with only three men outside the circle. Yuvraj hauls the next ball through long leg, and runs another two, before pushing a jogged single to long-off - 13 from the first five balls. Dhoni turns the last ball away for a leg bye - Swann's figures go from 1-34 off nine to 1-47 off 10.

34th over - Ind 156-4
Broad is taken off with two overs left of his spell, Anderson's on for his sixth over. But the England stranglehold of the last couple of overs is immediately shattered as Yuvraj clubs Jimmy through mid-wicket for four, then slings down a wide. Yuvraj edges a single to third man to bring up India's 150, and Dhoni (who's been stuck on 10 for a while) adds a leg bye. Another single takes Yuvraj to 25, then Dhoni takes a huge slog and gets an inside edge down past the stumps for four! 12 off the over, time for the mandatory ball change - and possibly time for India's batting powerplay?

33rd over - Ind 144-4
Swann bowls round the wicket to the left-handed Yuvraj, who pokes a single through the covers. He's back over the wicket for the right-handed Dhoni, but getting through his over rapidly and trying to frustrate Dhoni. The Indian skipper looks like he's about to attempt a big hit, but thinks better of it and defends. He tries to angle his bat to short fine leg, but that's another tight over from England - the rate is up to more than a run a ball for the first time. Drinks break, and time for both sides to take stock of their position.

32nd over - Ind 143-4
Broad begins his eighth over, which is a bit of a gamble as after this one, he, Swann and Fred only have seven left between them. But if it's a gamble, it pays off in the short term as Broad keeps it tight and Dhoni (taking more of a long-term view) plays out a maiden. The required rate is 5.76.

"Re: Dan Lucas (21st over). 'Cos they didn't take Foster... a much better keeper who could have batted at seven and done a better job all round"
Miall (a slightly happier Essex supporter after Ravi's effort) in the TMS inbox

31st over - Ind 143-4
Dhoni tries to force Swann to leg, but has to scuttle back into his crease when he fails to make contact. He then works a clever single off his legs to take his side to within 100 of victory. Two more singles off the over - remember, India still have a four-over batting powerplay up their sleeves.

"England need to pick some actual opening batsman rather than promoting folk who have never opened the batting in their lives. What did "The Colonel" ever do wrong? And as other folk have said, Stephen Davies is very impressive. I have also been very impressed with Craig Kieswetter for Somerset, he bats at three and alongside old Tresco enjoys a bit of slogging down at Taunton. We should get in their before SA wake up and smell the coffee"
Richard, Preston, in the TMS inbox

30th over - Ind 140-4
Flintoff is taken off, with just three more overs up his sleeve, and Broad returns. England may be very aware that if this game goes the distance, they'll still have to find at least five more overs from the "fifth bowler" (Patel/Pietersen/Bopara/Collingwood/Shah). Yuvraj adds a leg bye, then Dhoni is patient enough to wait for the bad ball and lifts it high over backward point for four. He forces the last ball of the over to Anderson on the cover boundary for one. Hey, England were 140-4 at this stage too! At least there is some (fearful?) symmetry there!

"I think it is high time England abandoned their one-day policy of 'always bat like you're nine down'."
Gus in the TMS inbox

29th over - Ind 134-4
More easy ones and twos for Yuvraj, while Swann fields well off his own bowling against Dhoni. Prior yells as he whips off the bails, but Dhoni's back foot was well-grounded.

"Nottinghamshire's Chris Read is still the best wicketkeeper in the country. His name seems to be taboo when people mention the England spot. Some of the hapless efforts since him have had far more chances. I'd like to know the truth behind him not getting another look in. I think there's more to it than meets the eye"
Paul Chapman in the TMS inbox
[Given that Chris Read played in the "rebel" Indian Cricket League, it's fair to say the Indian board would not have liked it if he'd been picked for this series! And when did the Indian board last not get their way over anything? MM]

28th over - Ind 131-4
Freddie goes round the wicket to the left-handed Yuvraj, who tickles another single. Freddie and Dhoni exchange a few words in mid-pitch, just that one from the over.

"Why can't Collingwood be dropped and replaced with a specialist batsman, then Bopara can get a chance to bowl as well. Then why not forget about all these wicketkeepers who can't bat and let Shah have a run behind the stumps, and then we can get another specialist batsman in for Prior or whoever this month's keeper is. We'd be better off with a few misfields behind the stumps (would we notice the difference?) and have the chance to put up some defendable totals, or maybe even chase down something over 250. PS Go easy on Anderson, none of the bowlers have impressed so far all series (except perhaps Pietersen!)"
Duncan in Leeds in the TMS inbox

27th over - Ind 130-4
Swann continues for his sixth over, having taken 1-24 from his first five. Yuvraj and Dhoni keep pushing the singles, surely if India win this there's enough time for Yuvraj to play a match-winning innings and earn himself that third motorbike?

26th over - Ind 127-4
Captain Mahendra Dhoni is off the mark with a two just past Colly. And to think some of you have been e-mailing in calling for Colly to be dropped!

"I am supposedly writing an essay on Yugoslavia whilst listening to the cricket in my room in Loughborough, and with all the mention of our bowling attack I am glad to see Saj Mahmood not playing, as when walking to the library the other day I walked passed the ECB Academy whilst the England team were on a jog and he was miles away at the back of the pack"
Dan, Loughborough, in the TMS inbox
[And there I was thinking it was just his bowling, batting and fielding which were embarrassing on that Ashes tour! MM]

25th over - Ind 124-3
Yuvraj comfortably sweeps Swann for four, then he and Sehwag continue to plunder singles at will.

"I hope by now all the whining English supporters realize that "rotation" is more than just about satisfying a local cricket board or two. Thousands of supporters get a once in a few years' chance to see international cricket. Sure, the hotels are bad, the roads worse, and the stadia appalling, but hey none of you have to live there!"
Alok in Oxford in the TMS inbox

24th over - Ind 117-3
After a single from Yuvraj, Sehwag carefully dabs KP through the vacant gully area for four, then a single takes him to 67. Yuvraj straight-drives, Bopara dives to prevent the boundary and Anderson completes the fielding while India run two. Yuvraj nicks the strike, and in the form he's in, why not?

23rd over - Ind 108-3
Well, that's good news for England, as the new man is... Yuvraj Singh, who's in red-hot form with two centuries in successive ODIs. KP inserts a slip for the new man, and also brings himself in at silly point. But he has to take evasive action as Yuvraj clubs a single through the covers.

22nd over - Ind 104-2
Patel's off, and after two Notts spinners, we have the little-known former Notts off-spinner Kevin Pietersen. Cap'n Kev stems the tide a little - with three singles from his first over.

"To Chris, Oxford Tutor (14th over) - experience has taught most undergrads that the longer the essay, the more time one can spend reading it aloud, and the less time one has to spend having its deficiencies pointed out by one's tutor, who is of course infinitely better informed on the subject and (in most cases) less hung over"
Edmund, Oxford alumnus, also following the cricket instead of working, in the TMS inbox

21st over - Ind 101-2
A single from Sharma brings up the hundred, and you sense India have pressed the "cruise control" button here against England's spinners. Sehwag reaches 59 with a single.

"One of the criticisms about playing Ashley Giles for his runs at eight was that we shouldn't have to rely on runs from that position if the top seven do their job. So why is Prior, in the side for his batting ability, there at eight instead of a better keeper?"
Dan Lucas in the TMS inbox

20th over - Ind 99-2
Sehwag and Sharma continue to push the singles against Patel, while Sharma exquisitely guides him through the covers for four. He then takes a leg-stump guard, but keeps the scoreboard ticking with a single. Sehwag plunders another two to long-on, 10 off the over and KP may have problems here.

18th over - Ind 81-2
England unleash their second spinner, with the left-arm orthodox spin of Samit Patel. After the batsmen take a single apiece, Sehwag guides a two past wide mid-on. He then gives Patel the charge, smashing him to long-on but they run two more. Then, off the last ball, Sehwag clubs it back hard and low but Patel can't hold on to the one-handed chance.

"Well, it's definitely 'pick on Colly' time, some short memories here - fair enough, get him back to Durham to ensure another Championship"
Tony in Nogland in the TMS inbox

17th over - Ind 75-2
While the players take a drinks break, Aggers on TMS tells Sunil Gavaskar about how he nearly took a swim in the Ganges yesterday (which would have washed away all his sins), but didn't quite do so. But on a more serious point, he's concerned about whether the light will hold. England turn to the off-spin of Graeme Swann - if you haven't seen the pictures, his flowing locks are a thing of the past, he looks more like an army recruit now with a short haircut that you might even describe as a crew-cut. Sehwag slices a single down to long-on, Sharma finds the gap through the covers and they run two.

"The English team lacks a certain composition. There are a few brilliant players but overall, I don't think they can challenge the top teams. KP and team have to come up with something radically different, if they are to challenge India in this series. The Indians, on the other hand, are playing some amazing cricket. The bowling is strong and the batting has depth"
Vivek John Cherian in the TMS inbox

16th over - Ind 72-2
Anderson to continue, and Sharma opens the face to steer a single to third man. Sehwag moves to 40 with four more into his favoured third man area, then nicks the strike with a single to mid-wicket.

"How long will our wicketkeepers who consistently under-perform with the bat (and some with the gloves) at international level keep out Stephen Davies, England's brightest propsect who has been putting in brilliant performances for Worcestershire for the last couple of seasons?"
John from Worcester in the TMS inbox

15th over - Ind 66-2
Sehwag tips-and-runs a quick single off Flintoff, and Colly is warming up in the field - he may be on soon, given that this is the last over of the second powerplay. A short ball sees Sehwag rock back and carve a four through mid-wicket, then he and Sharma exchange singles. But try to have faith - England were 80-1 at this stage!

"The current somewhat useless performance of the England team on the subcontinent is not helping my quest to create the first ladies Shanghai cricket team. With an Englishman in charge, how can my newly formed side be taken seriously?"
Ben in Shanghai, China, in the TMS inbox

14th over - Ind 60-2
A curious change of bowling as James Anderson, who wasn't much cop in his first three overs today, replaces Broad. But I guess without Harmison, they're a seamer down on the previous games. Sharma forces Jimmy for two through the off side, then another loose delivery on leg stump is easily guided off his legs, and not even a Swann-dive on the square leg boundary can prevent the four. Then, Sharma bashes Jimmy through point for four - Jimmy now has 0-30 from four overs.

"For James in Oxford (5th over) - essays in Oxford are supposed to be only 1500 words long. As you have apparently already strayed to 2410 words, you should worry about that more than slipping in made-up quotations. Nothing worse than a rambling essay, except perhaps another rambling batting/bowling performance from the England lads"
Chris, Oxford Tutor - also watching the cricket instead of working - in the TMS inbox

13th over - Ind 50-2
Sharma finally gets off the mark and more importantly for India, gets Sehwag on strike. He guides an easy single to third man, while the TMS crew are troubled by various insects in their commentary box. Another Sharma single brings up India's half-century, then Sehwag swings and misses, England belatedly appeal for a caught behind and umpire Saheba is unmoved. Freddie has 1-7 from four overs.

"Can anybody show cause why Paul Collingwood should not be dropped from this ODI side? I would rather have Harmison in the side and we go in a batsman short (which is the case with Colly playing anyway)! C'mon England, give me some joy!"
Jonathan, Sacramento, CA, in the TMS inbox

12th over - Ind 47-2
Sehwag gets up on his toes to clip Broad away for a couple, then it's what I call "Sehwag being Sehwag" as he blasts it, baseball-style, back over Broad's head for four. He then straight-drives along the ground, four more!

"Mike from Perth (47th over) commented about England beating Australia next year... from what I've seen of England in the past five matches they've played, they would struggle to beat Bangladesh. There has been nothing to suggest that they would get even close to winning a Test against Australia, let alone winning the Ashes! Look at the current Test & ODI rankings... Australia top of both, England flagging! And that was achieved in 2008 without Warne, Gilchrist, McGrath and Langer! Aussies will whip you 5-0 in England next year"
Andy from Perth in the TMS inbox

11th over - Ind 37-2
England take the second powerplay immediately, while there's a brief delay while Sharma selects a new bat. Sehwag cover-drives, but only gets one to the man on the cover boundary, but Freddie keeps it tight otherwise against Sharma.

"Normally I feel obliged to listen to Radio Scotland to hear what misery has struck my train this particular morning but today I decided to treat myself to Test Match Special. My drive to the station this morning (complete with views of Loch Lomond and the mountains beyond) happened to coincide with that amazing Sharma over (the 46th). The only cricket of this series that I've heard so far and I certainly picked a memorable bit"
Val Hamilton, Glasgow, in the TMS inbox

10th over - Ind 36-2
New batsman Rohit Sharma is nearly run out off his first ball when he dabs a single and just beats Samit Patel's throw to the bowler's end. Curiously, Patel throws with his right hand, despite bowling with his left - a bit like ex-Hampshire all-rounder Kevan James, now a sports journalist with BBC Radio Solent. Sehwag steers a single past backward point.

9th over - Ind 34-1
Sehwag pushes Freddie for a single, then the left-handed Raina chops one fortuitously past his stumps for a single.

"With this display of English and Australian batting, I don't think I'll buy any tickets for the fifth day of any of the Ashes Tests. Even lasting four days looks doubtful"
Bob in Lewes in the TMS inbox

8th over - Ind 32-1
Sehwag tickles Broad for a single, but the Notts youngster has Raina pinned down with some good variation, and it's just that one run from the over.

7th over - Ind 31-1
Should India send Yuvraj in now, so he can have a go at that third straight century? Not yet, they haven't - Suresh Raina is in, fresh from a superb display in the field. He survives his first ball, and a bit of backchat from Freddie, who looks "pretty pumped" according to Gus on TMS.

"Well, I'm happy that this shower didn't win a million dollars each"
Woodzeebeck, Cold Switzerland, in the TMS inbox

6th over - Ind 30-0
While R4 LW listeners are dragged away, kicking and screaming, to Yesterday in Parliament, stick with us here and stick with the TMS commentary which can also be found on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, on the red button on your telly and on this website. Broad drops one in short and Gambhir rocks back to blast him through mid-wicket for four more.

5th over - Ind 26-0
Anderson is veering towards being "Bad Jimmy" rather than "Good Jimmy" today, as he strays with a poor delivery down the leg side and Sehwag helps himself to a flicked four off his legs. A couple of singles rotate the strike, then Jimmy drifts down leg again and Sehwag easily flicks himself another four.

4th over - Ind 16-0
Broad strays with a wide - then, not for the first time today, we have a hold-up because of someone moving near or behind the sightscreens. Sehwag (batting in a shirt with his name on but no number) fluently on-drives for four, then nudges a quick single.

"A gentle reminder to England - you haven't seen the might of Indian batting yet, a guy called Sachin is resting and is available next match"
Gowdhaman Margabandu in the TMS inbox

3rd over - Ind 10-0
Gambhir blasts the first boundaries of the innings, clubbing Anderson through extra cover for four, before flaying another past backward point.

"Not being a biased Hampshire fan [unlike me then - MM] I can say with hand on heart that Dimitri Mascarenhas should be there wielding the willow late in the innings. Having just watched the big man destroy all and sundry at the Hong Kong Sixes - seeing Prior out there just does not cut the Phil Mustard"
Tim, bemused, Hong Kong, in the TMS inbox
9 November: England seal Hong Kong Sixes win

2nd over - Ind 2-0
Stuart Broad beats Sehwag's outside edge with his first ball, and for once the right-hander is watchful as Broad sends down a maiden over.

And thanks to Robin Abrahams in the TMS inbox for showing us that if Yuvraj Singh reaches three figures again today, he'd become only the fourth player ever to score three consecutive ODI hundreds - after Zaheer Abbas, Saeed Anwar and Herschelle Gibbs.
INTERNET LINK: Consecutive ODI hundreds, on Cricinfo

1st over - Ind 2-0
After a much shorter break than normal (barely enough time to sprint to the BBC canteen and back for some fast-action brekky), we're under way again as Gautam Gambhir steers Jimmy Anderson's first ball to third man for a single. It's Jimmy's 100th ODI today, but Sehwag shows no such respect to the centurion and nudges a single of his own.

0808: Meanwhile, we now have three simultaneous internationals in play - Sri Lanka have won the toss and elected to field first against Zimbabwe in their first one-dayer in Harare. And one of the regular e-mails we get from the ICC tell us that today is the second annual ICC Diversity Day. So there.
Live scorecard: Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka

0804: Without wanting to sound negative, you can't help but think England haven't got enough runs - especially considering the opportunities they had when Sharma was bowling absolute tripe and Prior couldn't score off the free hits. But if that isn't a cue for them to prove me wrong...

"My dignity is really at stake if England can't turn this one around - for the sake of all expats getting a daily ribbing here in India, can we please at least get a respectable total!"
Tom in Bombay in the TMS inbox

ENGLAND INNINGS

48th over - Eng 236-9
With 10 competent batsmen ahead of him, I bet Jimmy Anderson hadn't reckoned on batting today - his first ball squirms off his legs for a leg bye.

"We shouldn't get too disheartened by our performances so far, I've seen some things that bode well for England winning the Ashes next summer - those things being the woeful Aussie batsmen currently being skittled by New Zealand in the Test"
Mike in Perth in the TMS inbox

47th over - Eng 232-8
Two new batsmen in - Graeme Swann (who came in first) is non-striker, Stuart Broad will face the hat-trick ball, for which Dhoni brings in a couple of slips. But this astonishing over continues as Broad fences at a wide outside off stump! Broad has another swing-and-miss and a crazy over finally ends.

"Rob Heath (36th over) is bang on the money. Collingwood in his last eight innings has scored 1, 8, 19, 22*, 10, 6, 3*, 14. Has Peter Moores failed to spot this trend? Is Peter Moores awake?"
Will Halliday, Singapore, in the TMS inbox

46th over - Eng 222-6
More confusion between the wickets , but Prior and Patel manage a single apiece before the recalled Zaheer slings down a wide. He has three boundary fielders between long-on and mid-wicket for Prior, who instead steers a single to long-off. But Patel finally has a big heave, swatting Zaheer over long-on for a big six before bunting a two to third man. Patel digs out a yorker, runs a quick single and it's Double Nelson.

"Hatch (25th over), I know the feeling mate- I'm sitting in the middle of Darfur surrounded by sand and Janjas but if I have to go back to our staff house tonight and face another evening of grief from my Indian colleagues... Seriously, if I have to hear the name Yuvraj one more time, I might just grab a camel and head on out..."
Andrew, El Fasher, in the TMS inbox

45th over - Eng 209-6
Patel clubs Sharma to the mid-wicket boundary for a single, Prior's finally off the mark with a single but Sharma strays with another no-ball off the final delivery as they run one. Prior swings his bat at the free hit, but they can only manage a single to third man.

44th over - Eng 204-6
New batsman Matt Prior watches from the non-striker's end as Patel is restricted to a single by another superb diving stop from Raina, who's been absolutely awesome in the field today. But then Prior tries to turn his first ball for a single to the red-hot Raina at mid-wicket, is sent back and Dhoni demolishes the stumps! The third umpire is called upon - and Prior's in by a whisker. What a golden duck that would have been.

"I'm in Assam in NE India and the only Brit around for about 500 miles, as far as I can make out and believe me the locals are fanatical, so England please give us a result today!"
Chris in the TMS inbox

43rd over - Eng 198-5
Shah can't do much other than dig out a straight one from Sharma, then can't pick a slower ball. He eventually manages to jab a single to mid-on, but Pathan's throw demolishes the stumps and keeps the England pair on their toes. A single takes Patel to 11, then Shah flicks it to third man and Sehwag uses his football skills to stick out a leg and stop the four! Shah drives the final ball of the powerplay to the cover boundary for another two.

42nd over - Eng 192-5
Shah's first four, off his 30th ball, sails through long-off - he appears to have taken an off-stump guard against left-arm seamer Zaheer. He works Zaheer for a two, then a diving boundary stop by Pathan at third man restricts him to a single.

41st over - Eng 185-5
Sharma's changed ends, but India still don't seem like they're in any kind of hurry - we're almost at the stage where the interval should be taking place if we'd started on time. Aggers senses a Duckworth-Lewis finish to the game. Patel can only manage a leg bye from the first three balls of the over. Call me a biased Hampshire fan [you're a biased Hampshire fan - Ed.], but wouldn't you rather see Dimitri Mascarenhas coming in about now, and actually trying (and normally succeeding) to hit sixes? Yet he isn't even in the squad! Shah swishes and misses at one, then smears a single to short fine leg. Finally we have a fortuitous boundary when Patel edges a four through third man.

"It seems like England are awfully right-handed in their batting line-up. I feel like Yuvraj would be very average against left-handers"
Josh, USA, in the TMS inbox

40th over - Eng 179-5
Finally, England take their batting powerplay - which will encompass overs 40, 41, 42 and 43. Remember, we're reduced to 49 overs a side today because of the delayed start - with the batting powerplays reduced from five overs to four. Zaheer Khan is back in the attack, and Shah pushes him for another single. Patel finally finds a gap with a single past wide mid-on. And England have managed just two (count 'em) runs from that first powerplay over.
How to set a one-day field (including an explanation of Powerplays)

"Morning chaps, James here, working in Bangalore for the week and cursing my flight back to Ireland on Saturday morning, a day before the England team play here. Looking forward to Matt Prior wrenching victory from the jaws of defeat. Enjoy the tour"
James McGill in the TMS inbox

39th over - Eng 177-5
Still no sign of that powerplay as Pathan wheels away to Shah, who nurdles another single. Another long hold-up as Pathan isn't happy where Shah is standing as non-striker. Both batsmen are happy to nudge leg-side singles, and India will be happy to restrict the scoring rate the way they are at the moment.

"To me this England team is still not good enough to beat the top ODI sides, Samit Patel is a part-time spinner and will never do well against quality batsmen. If England keep playing with these kind of bits and pieces players... they ought to lose 7-0 to India... India has specialists in all departments"
Ramesh S in the TMS inbox

38th over - Eng 174-5
It's spin, spin and more spin as off-spinner Virender Sehwag is the fourth spinner to be used by India today. He's convinced he has Shah caught down the leg side, although it appeared to have flicked his pad. Shah nudges the next ball off his legs and a rare Indian misfield brings him a second run. A single to long-on takes him to 20.

37th over - Eng 170-5
New batsman is Samit Patel, and he's immediately off the mark with a single. Having lost Flintoff, will England regret not taking their powerplay sooner? Or have they forgotten? After a single from Shah, Patel guides Pathan off his legs and they jog through for a single.

"I predict a score of less than 250 and another thumping India win (or equally well willing to shamelessly eat my words at the end of the day). But what a wonderfully sporting atmosphere it has been so far in this series, in sharp contrast to when Punter's boys are around"
VV (Dallas, TX) in the TMS inbox

36th over - Eng 166-4
Dhoni still has one more Harbhajan over up his sleeve, but turns to Sharma - still no powerplay taken. Flintoff (now helmeted) forces a single to the cover boundary, Shah clips a two through mid-wicket and this stand is now worth 32. Another single means it's just four from the over.

"Another failure yet again for Paul Collingwood who looks increasingly out of his depth. A good ball perhaps but he never looked comfortable and at this level you are going to get good balls. Surely he must be dropped as this form/mindset of his seems to have stemmed from facing the Aussies a couple of years ago after they worked him out following his double century"
Rob Heath, Derbys, in the TMS inbox

35th over - Eng 162-4
With 34 overs having passed, we get the mandatory ball change, but England still aren't taking the powerplay. Yuvraj is in for his last over, Shah dabs a single to reach double figures, then Flintoff steers only his second boundary with a firm drive through extra cover. A single and a two for Shah complete Yuvraj's spell - 1-54 - and he leaves the field to be replaced by sub fielder Virat Kohli.

34th over - Eng 154-4
Harbhajan strays with a legside wide, Shah guides another single but Freddie is really tied down now, is he waiting for the powerplay? A gentle single to long-off, then another from Shah means it's just four from the over.

33rd over - Eng 150-4
Shah guides Yuvraj off his legs for a single to bring up the 150, then Flintoff tries to punish a loose one wide of off stump, but can't beat the patrolling Raina at cover. Flintoff again can't force the pace, Yuvraj has 1-46 from nine overs.

32nd over - Eng 149-4
Fred takes a fresh guard against Harbhajan, who dives to field off his own bowling and it looks like non-striker Shah may have accidentally trod on Harbhajan's hand as he tries to make his ground. Some careful placement from Fred and some wristy drives from Shah bring four singles from the over.

"Sitting at a bar in San Francisco reading the live text. Trying to educate our American cousins on the finer points of the world's finest sport... with limited success. If we had a team that all had first names like Chad or Byron I think we'd be taken more seriously out here. As it is, and without Gatorade as a major sponsor, I fear the colonials just won't ever get it"
Jonathan Goddard in the TMS inbox

31st over - Eng 145-4
More singles as Yuvraj chugs through his eighth over, and Shah eventually clubs the last ball through mid-on for two.

30th over - Eng 140-4
Flintoff finally finds the boundary rope with an off-driven four, he and Shah push three more singles. England still have a powerplay up their sleeves - when should they take it?

"RE: Tom in Estonia, funny you should mention that because I'm near Tampa, Florida, and the locals are not bothered in the slightest about the current ODI series in India. Even the expat Indians and offspring couldn't care less. I bet if Barack Obama was a demon fast bowler they would sit up and pay attention"
Andrew in the TMS inbox
[Not a bad year for sport there, though - you had the Tampa Bay Rays reach baseball's World Series! MM]

29th over - Eng 133-4
New batsman is Owais Shah, demoted to number six from number three, and he can't get the last ball from the irrepressible Yuvraj away.

28th over - Eng 130-3
Flintoff plays and misses against the mercurial Harbhajan, but he and Bopara manage four singles from the over. My match-report colleague Pranav Soneji informs me that Harbhajan and Bopara can always speak Punjabi to each other while this duel continues!

27th over - Eng 126-3
Fred off-drives for a single, Bopara trots through for another, and Flintoff jabs one to long-off - no boundaries from the Prestonian yet.

26th over - Eng 123-3
Harbhajan is bowling a tighter line than Yuvraj, and Bopara is unable to get him away - Bhajji has superb figures of 5-2-6-2.

"I am in the middle of the Omani desert surrounded by hundreds of Indians who have made my life hell for the last two ODIs after I hung up my England cricket shirt and a sign we would whitewash them 7-0. Revenge today would be sweet!"
Hatch, Oman, in the TMS inbox

24th over - Eng 114-3
Flintoff and Bopara exchange singles, then Flintoff pops one back to Harbhajan who sinks to his knees but sees the catch fall just a foot in front of him.

23rd over - Eng 112-3
Not quite sure why Yuvraj needs sunglasses in this gloom, but Bopara keeps the score ticking over with a single to reach 45. Freddie finds the gap in the covers with another, then Bopara sensibly nudges a two through mid-wicket. And the TMS crew have a mad dash on their hands - they're moving from the concrete blocks outside into their commentary box, which now appears to be functioning.

22nd over - Eng 108-3
With the spinners on, new batsman Andrew Flintoff has forsaken a helmet for a red and blue England one-day cap, and he's off the mark with a single to leg. The TMS crew are already concerned about how the light will be later for the Indian innings, but Bopara manages to keep the strike with another single.

21st over - Eng 106-2
Bopara pushes Yuvraj for a single, while Aggers tells of the perils of trying to dodge cars that speed down the wrong side of Kanpur's roads. Colly's off the mark with a single, and a two takes Ravi to 43.

"Interesting decision to relegate Prior & Shah down the order, since they guided England to a good position in last game; 102-1 off 21 overs. Pretty awful, eh...!? As usual, Prior & Shah - two superb stroke players, naturally gifted who need a longer run in positions - are the scapegoats for their more experienced, inconsistent colleagues. Prior seems to be the fall guy for the media too often. Give the guy a chance!"
Paul F, at a meeting near the WACA, Perth, Australia, in the TMS inbox

20th over - Eng 102-2
Time for Paul Collingwood to show he's deserved his elevation from six to four? A long lbw appeal from Bhajji, but umpire Saheba shakes his head and Hawk-Eye agrees with him. Colly plays out a wicket maiden.

"Thanks for the box tip, Aggers [9th over] - as I live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - that could come in very handy!"
Stuart in the TMS inbox

19th over - Eng 102-1
After guiding the first ball for two, KP gives Yuvraj the charge, hoists him to long-on, "six or out" says Aggers, and it's just over long-on's head for six! A single brings up three figures for England, Bopara adds another to reach 40, and KP nicks the strike - but then again, he's captain now...

18th over - Eng 91-1
Spin from both ends as off-spinner Harbhajan Singh enters the attack from the TMS commentary end. KP and Ravi manage three singles from the over.

"Like the other two guys, I am in Melbourne not far from the 'G' and kop it big time every time cricket is on TV. I think though that Ponting is in danger of jumping the shark today"
Daryl Tinworth in the TMS inbox
INTERNET LINK: Wikipedia's definition of "jumping the shark"

17th over - Eng 88-1
Time for some spin - Yuvraj Singh can't seem to do much wrong in this series, as the two brand new motorbikes (man-of-the-match awards) in his garage will attest. He's on to bowl some left-arm spin, and is bedecked in a rather flashy pair of sunglasses - but that doesn't stop Bopara fluently sweeping him for four. He then guides a couple to the same area.

"I wonder how this grave lapse slipped through my fingers: 'Kathmandu, India'. Sorry about that. Kathmandu, Nepal is indeed the only correct expression"
Zihannasheen, Kathmandu, NEPAL, in the TMS inbox

16th over - Eng 82-1
A word of info for later - the third powerplay (to be determined by the batting side) has been reduced to four overs, because we're in a 49-over match. But the field drops back, allowing Pietersen an easy single to long-on. Raina's acrobatics at cover restrict Bopara to a single - this young India side are pretty red-hot in the infield. Drinks break.

"James (0346) & Owen (8th over), Let those [Aussie] guys give you as much lip as they want. Talking is what they do best anyway. Give them that at least, it's not like they are winning much these days. England may be 2-0 down, but at least they are still treating cricket like a gentleman's game"
Arjun, Chennai, in the TMS inbox

15th over - Eng 80-1
KP has three balls of this powerplay left to make an early impression, and runs his first ball to deep square leg for a single. Bopara can't get the last two deliveries away.

"I am in Parnu, Estonia. Disappointingly, this ODI series has completely failed to capture the imagination of Estonians or, indeed, the elderly Finns who visit this spa town. As a result, I am not subject to any abuse over England's poor showing"
Tom in the TMS inbox

14th over - Eng 77-0
Bell's looking a lot better now, crashing another four through the covers, then after a single takes him to 45 off 45 balls, Bopara smacks Sharma through the off side for another four - he has 30 from 41 balls.

13th over - Eng 68-0
Zaheer's off, Patel returns but is met with a "shot of the day" contender from Bopara as he threads a delicious four past point before opening the face to guide a single to third man. Bell guides a single to long-on to reach 39, while the pair then exchange singles. And it's all going off in Brisbane, the Aussies are seven down and even "Big Jesse" Ryder has a wicket!
Live scorecard: Australia v New Zealand

"Re: Zihannasheen from Kathmandu, India (7th over)... last I checked, Nepal was still a separate country. I am Indian, but I am sure Nepali friends won't be pleased on finding that Kathmandu is not in India"
Punkish in the TMS inbox
[That was what Zihannasheen wrote! No offence was intended! I've removed the reference to India - MM]

12th over - Eng 60-0
After a single from Bell, Sharma oversteps with a no-ball which gives England a free hit. The free-hit ball is wide outside off stump, Bopara hangs his bat out at it, he's "caught" at cover (but can't be out) as they run one... but that was a no-ball too so now Bell has a free hit. He takes a step forward and smears it through the vacant slip cordon for four. A nervy single as Bell tips-and-runs into the covers but makes his ground, then Bopara pinches the strike off the last ball - another good over for England.

"A very clever and gutsy plan to make Bopara and Bell open, one is cool-headed while the other can rip though bowlers on good day, but I think India will win 7-0 or 6-1. This is the same ground where India defeated South Africa within three days of a Test, and with Ishant Sharma in the side, this is gonna make life more hard. Good luck England"
Samar Cheema in the TMS inbox

11th over - Eng 50-0
Umpire Tiffin waves his arm in a circle in the manner of Mick Channon to indicate India have taken "their" powerplay. Remember, since the rule change last month, the fielding side have one powerplay to be taken at a time of their choosing - and the batting side can choose when another is taken. Bopara turns Zaheer off his legs for a single, then turns blind again for a second and is sent back by Bell. Bell then steers another four through backward square leg, while a single brings up the fifty. And Aggers reveals that during the interval today, he'll be talking to Sourav Ganguly and Geoff Lawson.

10th over - Eng 44-0
After that last over of rubbish from Patel, unsurprisingly the wild-haired Ishant Sharma replaces him. Aggers compares his look and run-up to that of Jason Gillespie, but a well-timed forward prod by Bell shoots back past the bowler for four. Bell then flicks the last ball through mid-wicket for four to take his score to 27.

9th over - Eng 36-0
Zaheer drops one short and Bopara joins in the fun with a short-armed pull for four. A classy drive is straight to Gambhir at point. Zaheer moves round the wicket which keeps the line tighter - Bopara chops one past his stumps, Dhoni gives chase but it beats him to the fine leg boundary. Meanwhile, Aggers gives out a travel tip on TMS - apparently wine boxes don't show up on airport radar machines... useful if you're going somewhere where it might be expensive or scarcely available!

"Please, please England cheer me up as I'm trying to finish this essay!"
Dan in Sunny Aber, in the TMS inbox

8th over - Eng 28-0
Bell pushes into the covers for an easy two, Ravi The Runout turns blind and is halfway down the track for a third before noticing that Bell hasn't moved and is sending him back. Finally Bell cuts loose as a poor delivery from Patel is hoisted through mid-wicket for four. The next ball is another long-hop, and Bell this time guides it through long leg for two. A third successive poor ball brings Bell two to the same area - a bumper over for England, 12 runs coming from it - 10 of which were pretty much handed to them on a plate.

"I'm with James (0346), I'm working about 1km from the WACA suffering abuse on a daily basis, although Southee has silenced the place in the last hour or so"
Owen, Perth, in the TMS inbox

7th over - Eng 16-0
Zaheer is keeping Bell pretty much tied down here - Bell is struck on the bottom hand trying to play off the back foot, and Zaheer gives him a bit of a "look". Bell then off-drives but a brilliant diving stop by Raina at cover means it's another dot ball. Can they not get a move on?

"It was the worst toss to win. The poor English captain had no choice but to bat first, while the conditions demanded fielding first would have been far better"
Zihannasheen, Kathmandu, in the TMS inbox

6th over - Eng 15-0
England's pedestrian start continues, and when Bell does give Patel the charge, he completely misses the ball with an ungainly cross-batted swipe. He finally gets the scoreboard moving with a clip off his legs for one. And in the Aussie-Kiwi Test (which is far more interesting than this game so far), Andrew Symonds has just scored an eight - they ran four and then benefited from four overthrows - but he's out now and Aussies are 132-5.

"James in Brisbane [0346], if you think you've got it bad, I work in a school in Delhi and as a fellow English am getting regular Pontingesque sledging/banter from folks as they pass my room and check the latest scores on my laptop. Deep joy if we lose this one. Best get back to work..."
Ian, Delhi, in the TMS inbox

5th over - Eng 14-0
Zaheer gets one to rise sharply and zip past Bell's outside edge, then the Warwickshire man guides a single to the long-haired Sharma at third man. This new opening partnership are pretty watchful so far, and it's just one run from the over.

"Morning Mark! I'm sitting in the snow wondering why it took England three ODIs to play a front-line spinner on the subcontinent. Hopefully we can turn these lacklustre performances around"
Charles from the University of Toronto, in the TMS inbox

4th over - Eng 13-0
Bopara faces Patel for the first time - Simon on TMS has noticed that Patel's not particularly quick in walking back to his mark, so we could have a very short interval here today, depending on India's over-rate. Bopara fishes at one that moves away from him and is a whisker away from edging a catch to Dhoni - but then confidently flashes at a wider one which brings him a four past cover point.

3rd over - Eng 9-0
Not much aggression from England so far, Zaheer angles it in to Bopara who rotates the strike for the first time with a jabbed single to cover. Bit like a Test match start, observes Simon Mann on TMS.

2nd over - Eng 8-0
Ishant Sharma surprisingly won't be taking the new ball - it's fellow right-armer Munaf Patel instead. Aggers reveals that the entire output of his hotel TV is one channel, featuring an Indian man hammering out various tunes on a xylophone. (I can sympathise - I found a TV channel in Sydney which was virtually a 24-hour "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" channel, with that particular ditty being bashed out on a banjo to pictures of beaches and crashing waves. Over and over again). Ian Bell sees off the over safely, eventually nudging the last ball off his pads and it sails down to the unprotected fine leg boundary for four.

"With England beating Germany, also after some big changes, I don't think we can expect anything less than a whitewash of India"
Paul Chaplin in the TMS inbox

1st over - Eng 4-0
Zaheer Khan takes the first over, there's still a bit of mist around and Bopara takes strike. He's hit on the pad second ball, but umpire Russell Tiffin (whose performance so far in the series has been, ahem, interesting) is unmoved. Aggers finally has a TV screen (albeit a small black'n'white one) available to him, while Steve James is concerned about the large number of security guards milling around the edge of the sightscreens. England are off the mark as Bopara guides the last ball off his legs, and a very speedy outfield brings him four through mid-wicket.

0412: Here come the umpires. Aggers reveals that the TMS commentators are sitting on a concrete step, with a man "guarding" their wires so that no-one accidentally yanks them out. Bopara and Bell to open.

"How long will Bopara be given opening? Was Prior given long enough and also Shah at three? Seems we just can't settle for long enough to get consistency going through the XI"
Phil in New Zealand, enjoying glorious sunshine in windy Wellington, in the TMS inbox

0408: Some interesting chat on TMS about the top of England's ODI order - Aggers and Steve James seem agreed that Cook and Bell shouldn't play in the same ODI side, while Steve (an opener himself) feels Kent's Joe Denly could be someone to have a look at.

That's just reminded me - I read Steve's autobiography, "Third Man to Fatty's Leg", on a plane to Australia two winters ago, and I'd recommend it as an interesting read about the life of a good county pro who briefly made the international scene (15,890 first-class runs, two Tests in 1998). (I should add, other cricket biographies are available).

"Why don't we really mix things up and put Jimmy in first - that would give them something to think about. Why are these Indians so good?"
Fred Sassoon in the TMS inbox
[Jimmy is number 11 by a distance in this team - Stuart Broad must be the best number 10 England have ever fielded! MM]

0355: While we're waiting, some other cricket news you may have missed in the last couple of days - South Africa have been filling their boots against Bangladesh in their first Test in Bloemfontein, while Herschelle Gibbs - recently dropped by the Proteas for disciplinary problems - is coming back to Glamorgan for another stint in 2009. And in other county news, burly all-rounder Ian Blackwell has left Somerset to join Durham.
REPORT: Smith and Amla punish BangladeshREPORT: Gibbs agrees to Glamorgan returnREPORT: Durham sign all-rounder Blackwell

0346: England have won the toss, KP calls "heads" correctly, and they will bat first.

0340: Right, play is going to begin at 0415. We're going to have a reduced-overs match, with innings reduced to (sharp intake of breath) 49 overs per side.

0333: India also make one change - the fit-again Ishant Sharma replaces RP Singh in the seam bowling ranks. Here are the full teams:

India: Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Dhoni (capt & wk), Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel.

England (in what we've been told is batting order): Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Kevin Pietersen (capt), Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Owais Shah, Samit Patel, Matt Prior (wk), Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

Umpires are India's Amiesh Saheba and Zimbabwe's Russell Tiffin, with third ump Suresh Shastri on TV replays and ex-Sri Lanka opener Roshan Mahanama as match referee. I'm joined by Pranav Soneji on match report duties, while our "gaffer" this morning is Oliver Brett.

0325: There's going to be an inspection at 0330, there are loads of people milling around on the square. In the meantime, while you're waiting, why not take a look at TMS's video preview of the game? If you haven't noticed on the website, video previews and reaction have been a new feature of this series. Reporter Alison Mitchell has been out and about in Kanpur, and has spoken to Graeme Swann amongst others.

0310: Right then, England have made one change - as expected, off-spinner Graeme Swann gets his first game of the series. He comes in for pace bowler Steve Harmison. But hold on to your hats for these changes in the batting order: keeper Matt Prior is the biggest faller, shunting down the order from number two to number eight. Moving in the opposite direction, up from eight to open the innings, is Ravi Bopara - the all-rounder who hasn't been asked to bowl yet in the first two games, and has only batted in lost causes. Meanwhile, pop-pickers, down from three to six is Owais Shah, Captain Kevin Pietersen's up from four to three and Paul Collingwood's up from six to four. Andrew Flintoff's a non-mover at number five. What a groovy batting order! Not 'alf!

0302: Morning, everyone. It may be the middle of the night here in Britain, but we're still relatively bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, waiting to bring you the third ODI. And, trailing 2-0 in the series, England have made some radical changes to their batting order, if not to their team, as I'll explain shortly...

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