Bopara helps England tie match and clinch series against India

Confusion reigned for several minutes as to the outcome at Lord’s following a third interruption for rain ended England’s chase of 280 for five, on 270 for eight.

Eventually it was confirmed that, with England and the Duckworth-Lewis pair score reading identically, the two teams could not be separated - just as at Bangalore in their World Cup match in March. The hosts therefore lead 2-0 with only one match to play, at Cardiff on Friday.

England would have won by the narrowest of margins had Bopara not been caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary off Munaf Patel, the last twist in a see-saw match.

Bopara’s dismissal to the last ball of the match, following the run-out of Graeme Swann by Patel, caused a D/L recalculation which brought the teams level and cancelled out the advantage England had held for much of the previous half-hour.

A stand of 169 between Mahendra Singh Dhoni (78 not out) and Suresh Raina (84) had carried India to a defendable total - which England challenged strongly thanks to Bopara and Ian Bell (54).

After the early loss of both England openers to RP Singh, and Jonathan Trott soon afterwards, Bopara and Bell’s stand of 96 gained a favourable position.

Bell was then caught by substitute fielder Manoj Tiwary and it was time for Bopara to prove his worth. In 62 one-day internationals, his previous best was 60 whereas here he very nearly won the day with a 111-ball innings including six boundaries.

Craig Kieswetter was England’s first man out, caught at wide mid-off, followed by Alastair Cook and Trott.

Bell and Bopara reacted with good sense and skill, manoeuvring the ball around without undue risk. Bopara was left to organise England’s chase when Ben Stokes was caught cheaply to R Ashwin.

Tim Bresnan proved an admirable ally to Bopara - hitting 59 while Swann added a breezy 31.

India were in need of revival and once Raina and Dhoni got moving, England took plenty of punishment.

Openers Ajinkya Rahane and Parthiv Patel scored 65 in 14 overs while Swann saw off Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid in his first over.

Cook was criticised in England’s nervy victory two days ago for failing to stay on the attack and he again sat in rather than posting close catchers. A slip might have caught Dhoni on six, and the India captain went on to take advantage.

He and Raina employed a safety-first tactic which worked perfectly with one over from James Anderson going for 18 - and 109 in the last 10.

Raina might twice have been run out with direct hits, on 20 and 63, and Cook needed increasing amounts of time to set a field to contain India’s fifth-wicket pair. Dhoni followed his partner past a 58-ball 50, leaving England with a taxing run chase which ultimately had no definite conclusion.