Jaya Sharma helped get India off to a positive start

Chasing a target of 232 in Madras (Chennai), they fell behind the required rate mid-innings despite 54 from opener Caroline Atkins.

Skipper Charlotte Edwards made 33 off 35 balls but they were all out for 213 off the final ball of the 48th over.

Karu Jain (77) and Jaya Sharma (61) were India's stars with a first wicket stand of 121 in a total of 231-6.

They were together until Sharma was run out in the 30th over, but Jain and captain Mithali Raj (35) maintained the momentum by adding 58 before both were stumped by keeper Sarah Taylor - with Beth Morgan and Laura Newton the successful bowlers.

Medium pacer Isa Guha picked up two wickets in successive overs as the home side's innings neared its end, but schoolgirl spinner Holly Colvin went unrewarded in a tidy 10-over spell, which brought her figures of 0-43.

Atkins and Newton made a solid start in reply, but India's new ball pair offered very few loose deliveries and Newton was eventually bowled for 21 by Rumeli Dhar.

England's faith in the potential of Taylor was highlighted when she was sent in at three for her first international innings on overseas soil and she looked at home in making 26 off 33 balls before being stumped off left-arm spinner Preeti Dimri.

Atkins progressed steadily to her second one-day half century but was run out soon after surpassing her 51 against India at Pune five years ago.

Jenny Gunn and Lydia Greenway both fell cheaply to Amita Sharma (2-36) either side of the key dismissal of Edwards, who was caught off Nooshin Al Khadeer after hitting five fours.

But Claire Taylor maintained a glimmer of a chance for England with 24 off 25 balls before she and Guha were dismissed by successive deliveries from the impressive Goswami, who finished with 2-25.

At 192-9 mid-way through the 46th over, England had too much to do, but Laura Marsh struck three fours in a defiant unbeaten 23, despite needing a runner because of a thigh injury, before the match ended when Colvin became the third run out victim of the innings.

"It was a disappointing result for us because we let it slip away. Our batters got in, but didn't go on and didn't take responsibility to cross the finishing line," Atkins said afterwards.

"230 on that deck was always achievable and we had wickets in hand, but unfortunately we did let the run rate creep up on us. I ran myself out and if you spend time at the crease you should always make it count.

"There are still five more games to go but we've really got to go out positive on Friday and beat New Zealand to get us back to winning ways."

Rolls helped New Zealand end Australia's nine-game winning streak

In the other match on the opening day, New Zealand's Rebecca Rolls marked her 100th one-day international with a spectacular innings of 104 not out off 87 balls as they beat World Cup holders Australia by six wickets.

Australia made 260-9 in their 50 overs, with Lisa Sthalekar making 65, but the White Ferns chased down their target with five overs to spare as Rolls hit a six and 18 fours.

She shared an unbroken stand of 108 with Sarah Tsukigawa (42 not out) after Maria Fahey had begun their reply with 53.