• Chasing 247 for victory, India are bowled out for 146 as England level the three-match ODI series at Lord’s

England hammered India by 100 runs in the second one-day international played at Lord’s yesterday to level the three-match series at 1-1.
Left-arm pacer Reece Topley took 6-24, the best figures by any England bowler in an ODI, as the world champions levelled a three-match series at 1-1 after India, chasing 247 to win, were dismissed for 146 with more than 11 overs to spare.
Left-arm quick Topley’s haul surpassed Paul Collingwood’s previous England best of 6-31 against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2005.
The injury-plagued 28-year-old’s figures were also the best by any bowler in an ODI at Lord’s, beating Pakistan quick Shaheen Shah Afridi’s return of 6-35 against Bangladesh in a World Cup match three years ago.
Topley, the Player of the Match, said yesterday: “That was a terrific team performance. Just happy that it came off. It (the performance) means a lot. Of course everyone dreams to play for England. It’s a big game at the weekend, we will try and wrap up the series. Hopefully, we do that, and whatever is next.”
Earlier yesterday, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal ripped through England’s middle-order as the Indian attack dominated again to bowl out the home side for 246 inside 50 overs.
Chahal ended with figures of 4-47, claiming the prized scalps of Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Ben Stokes in a quality display of leg-spin bowling.
England were put into bat and Jason Roy was the first to depart, chipping a Hardik Pandya delivery to fine leg after a scratchy 23, while Bairstow continued his rich vein of form before being cleaned up by Chahal for a breezy 38.
England’s attempt to rebuild came unstuck after Chahal trapped Root (11) and Stokes (21) leg before wicket before skipper Jos Buttler missed a straight ball off Mohamed Shami (1-48) to be dismissed for four. Liam Livingstone took the attack to Pandya but the bowler got his revenge when the Lancastrian holed out in the deep after an entertaining run-a-ball 33.
It took a late rally from Moeen Ali (47) and David Willey (41) to push England close to 250.
England skipper Buttler said after the match: “We didn’t bat our best, but will still got to a challenging score. Traditionally, it has been a bat-first wicket. I think it’s the mark of the guys. We were still positive. David Willey and Moeen Ali put on a great partnership. We needed to take early wickets, and put them under pressure. Topley has been fantastic. It was a special day. Happy to get a win. The team has been doing some great things for a number of years. Fantastic to show that character today.”
India captain Sharma said yesterday: “We bowled pretty well. They had the partnership in the middle with Moeen and Willey. Not that the target wasn’t chaseable, we just didn’t get there. (On the dropped catch of Willey) If you want to win games, you have to take those catches.”
Sharma added: “All in all, we bowled well. We just didn’t bat well. I thought the pitch would get better, but there was something for the bowlers throughout. (Is the long tail an issue?) That has been there for a long time now. We have enough of bowling options, but we do understand we have a long tail. One of the top-order guys must bat as long as possible. A lot to look forward to. We will get there, see the conditions and adapt.”
The two teams now head to Manchester for the final game of the series to be played on Sunday.

BRIEF SCORES
England 246 (Moeen 47, Willey 41, Chahal 4-47, Hardik 2-28) beat India 146 (Hardik 29, Jadeja 29, Topley 6-24) by 100 runs