England score six-wicket win to seal series 3-0

CARDIFF, Wales (AP):

England debutant Jonny Bairstow ruined Rahul Dravid's farewell one-day international by smashing an unbeaten 41 off 21 balls to anchor his team to a six-wicket win over India in the fifth one-day international yesterday.

The 21-year-old Bairstow shared an unbeaten 75-run stand off 40 balls with Ravi Bopara (37 not out) as England reached their revised target of 241 with 10 balls to spare in a rain-affected match at Sophia Gardens. England won the series 3-0.

"I have never seen an entrance into international cricket like that," England captain Alastair Cook said. "Jonny has made a name for himself. It's hard not to get too carried away - that was an unbelievable knock. I can't praise that enough."

The Indians' latest defeat means they will return home having failed to win a single match against the hosts on their tour, either in Tests, one-day internationals or the one-off Twenty20 match.

Dravid, playing his 344th and final ODI of a glorious limited-overs career spanning 15 years, made an assured 69 and Virat Kohli struck a 93-ball 107 for his sixth one-day century as India made 304-6.

However, Bairstow's thrilling knock, which came after Cook (50) and Jonathan Trott (63) had put England in a strong position, saw the hosts home.

Pleased with outcome

"It's obviously a fantastic start but it was only my first game and, hopefully, I will go on from here and get another chance," said Bairstow, whose father David played four Tests and 21 one-day internationals for England.

"It's only one game but I'm pleased with how it's gone today."

England's chase was delayed by a couple of showers, reducing the team's target to 241 off 34 overs. And after Ian Bell (26) and Trott fell in the space of 10 balls, Cook's side soon required 67 off 42 balls.

Bairstow, however, plundered three sixes and a four while Bopara was just as aggressive in crashing three fours and a six in his 22-ball knock.

"To go out there with no fear and play with such skill - we might have just found one," Cook said of Bairstow.

India's attempts to stifle England were not helped by the loss of bowler Munaf Patel, the latest in a string of injuries suffered by the tourists over the past three months.

"Losing Munaf when he still had four overs left hurt us, he's a main bowler and it was a big blow to lose him," India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. "Definitely, we need to manage our injuries, that's a big thing for us."

Earlier, Kohli and Dravid revived India's innings when they came together at 57-2 in the 16th over, after openers Parthiv Patel (19) and Ajinkya Rahane (26) had departed.

Their 170-run partnership, and some aggressive late hitting from Dhoni (50 off 26 balls), helped the team to its highest innings score in an international in any format all tour.

Kohli's knock included nine fours and a six while Dravid stroked four shots to the fence before he was bowled through the gate by Graeme Swann.

The 38-year-old Dravid was given a touching standing ovation from the crowd and his teammates on the balcony outside their dressing room as he returned to the pavilion. England's players also raced to offer their congratulations to Dravid, who amassed 10,889 runs in his one-day international career.