Cook leads England to win in rain-hit match

England appeared to face a tough target after Ajingli Rahane (54) and Suresh Raina had powered India to 187 for eight in a match reduced by rain to 23 overs per side under the Rose Bowl lights.

But openers Kieswetter and Cook (80no) raced to 67 in under seven overs and after four straight Test defeats, one in the solitary Twenty20 and then a rain-induced no-result at the start of this five-match one-day international series, there was once again no way back for MS Dhoni’s tourists.

Kieswetter hit four fours and three sixes in his 46 from only 25 balls before before Vinay Kumar had him lbw pushing forward.

Much significant damage had been done, though, and Cook, Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara continued to dent Indian morale and keep an initially taxing required run rate well under control on a batsman’s pitch.

Bell was soon milking boundaries off Raina’s off-spin too, only to then pick out extra-cover with an aerial drive when Ashwin tried again – having dominated a stand of 38.

It therefore fell to England’s 50-over captain, out of the equation in the sprint version since his last Twenty20 appearance almost two years ago, to ensure the job was completed and once again demonstrate an adaptability so many once doubted.

Plenty of the hard work was done, allowing Cook and his Essex colleague Bopara – given his chance ere in the absence of the injured Eoin Morgan – to simply retain the advantage.

They did so admirably in a partnership of 60 as England got home with seven wickets and almost an over to spare. Cook’s share contained five fours and his six from 63 balls. Rahane had added a maiden ODI half-century in this fixture delayed by bad weather until 7pm, at only his second attempt, to a 50 on Twenty20 debut a week ago.

Graeme Swann (three for 33) did his best to put the brakes on the scoring rate, introduced in the 10th over after India had been asked to bat first.

But Rahane, his opening partner Parthiv Patel and Rahul Dravid put their team in a promising position – and Raina then piled in with 40 from only 19 deliveries.

Later in the innings Suresh Raina punished Jade Dernbach with some huge hits and, despite a fine final over from Tim Bresnan and some outstanding outfield catching from England, Bell in particular, it seemed India had an overdue chance of a first victory over their hosts this summer.

Sadly for them, they appear to have lost the winning knack – while England seamlessly translated their superiority from both the longer and shortest formats.