England stand up under pressure to take ODI series with India to decider

Exactly a year to the day until the World Cup final at this venue, England chose the perfect moment to produce a performance that not only sets up a series decider in Leeds next week but demonstrated their ability to stand up under intense pressure.

This was akin to a knockout match for Eoin Morgan’s team, who needed victory to level the series at 1-1 following their chastening eight-wicket hammering at Trent Bridge 48 hours earlier. They achieved it with ease in the end as India, chasing 323 to win, fell 86 runs short after being dismissed for 236 in exactly 50 overs.

What made this result even more satisfying for England was the fact it came off the back of a magnificent 113 from Joe Root, the Yorkshireman’s first hundred since early March and one that broke a barren run of eight innings without a half-century.

Root, whose last three-figure score came in an ODI against New Zealand in Dunedin 18 weeks ago, had been in terrible form of late but he has rediscovered it just in time for the five-Test series against India that starts at Edgbaston on 1 August.

There will first be a decider in this one-day series at Root’s home ground of Headingley on Tuesday but England’s Test captain will take much from a gusty display of character that should stand him in good stead for the rest of the summer.

The demystification of India’s left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who is also set to play a big role in the Tests, was another huge positive for England. Kuldeep had taken six for 25 at Trent Bridge on Thursday, following up a five-wicket haul in the opening T20 in Manchester the previous week. But although he took three wickets here, they came at the cost of 68 runs and he looked far from the bogey man England had frozen against previously.

All this means that Morgan’s team will retain their No1 ODI status with another victory on Tuesday. It promises to be a mouth-watering occasion between the two best one-day teams in the world.

Given England also needed to win here to stay in this series, it was a surprise when Morgan opted to bat first against an India team who are phenomenally strong chasers. As it was, the hosts were thankful to Root’s timely return to form and a brutal late cameo from David Willey of 50 from 31 balls that allowed them to add 94 from the last 10 overs and post a competitive 322 for seven.

The record ODI chase at Lord’s is 328, scored by India to beat England here in 2002, a match remembered for an under-pressure captain Nasser Hussain gesturing angrily towards the media centre after sealing his century.

It was another England captain who has received valid questions about his contributions of late in Root who anchored this batting effort. Root came to the crease after Kuldeep removed Jonny Bairstow with just his second ball of this match. Bairstow, on 38, was unlucky as he swept and saw the ball cannon off his pad, deflect off his bat and onto the stumps.

At that stage England were 69 for one in the 11th over. Kuldeep, though, took a second wicket in his third over, Jason Roy falling for 40 after sweeping him to Umesh Yadav at deep midwicket. Morgan fell to the left-arm wrist-spinner, also picking out deep midwicket, but not before adding 103 with Root to help England to 189 for three by the time he departed for 53 in the 31st over.

Overall England played Kuldeep well, suggesting they won’t necessarily struggle against him in the Tests, and the truth is all three of his wickets were slightly fortunate. What threatened the hosts’ hopes in this game were the cheap dismissals of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali during a collapse of three for 36 between overs 34 and 42.

The loss of Buttler, caught behind off Umesh for four, appeared a particularly grievous blow. But it was the blows of Willey, who struck six boundaries as he brought up a maiden international half-century, that were to prove decisive. Root, who reached his hundred in the 48th over, must also be given huge credit as he offered ballast to an innings that could have imploded at several points.

India, fresh from chasing down 269 with 10 overs to spare at Trent Bridge, appeared favourites at halfway. But the loss of three wickets in as many overs took this contest away from them.

Rohit Sharma had been in sublime touch when scoring consecutive unbeaten centuries to lead his side home in successful chases in the T20 decider in Bristol and opening ODI in Nottingham. He badly misjudged a Mark Wood slow ball here, though, to fall for 15 in the ninth over.

Dhawan followed for 36, slashing Willey to Stokes at backward point before KL Rahul was the victim of a brilliant catch from wicketkeeper Buttler off the bowling of Liam Plunkett. Suddenly India were 60 for three in the 11th over and still needing 263 more to win.

In Kohli they did have the master of the modern run chase at the crease. However, when Moeen trapped him lbw for 45 to end an 80-run stand with Suresh Raina it put England firmly in the driving seat.

Raina, who had been dropped on 28 and 38, then fell to Rashid for 46 to leave India struggling on 154 for five in the 32nd over. MS Dhoni was now their final hope of denying England victory but not even his battling 37 could save the tourists as wickets fell regularly at the other end.