July 05  
Rain spoils India's victory hopes 

CHESTER-LE-STREET, England: With England only facing 12.3 overs to score 53 for the loss of one wicket, Indians were deprived of a well deserved victory when their triangular series day-night international match was called off after persistent drizzle.

Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar's maiden one-day century against England was the cornerstone of India's imposing 285 for four. 

Tendulkar, whose previous one-day best against England was 91, finished on 105 not out off just 108 balls including one six and eight fours. 

But impressive 20-year-old Yuvraj Singh, 40 not out from just 19 balls, scored the lion's share of an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 64. 

Rahul Dravid (82) played his part too, helping India recover after they slumped to 52 for three. 

India had been tied down mid-innings by some accurate England bowling but left-hander Yuvraj broke the shackles with four fours and one six in his whirlwind knock. Even England spearhead Darren Gough (two for 52) got the treatment, his final over going for 16 runs, including a straight six from Yuvraj. 

Ronnie Irani (nought for 23 off his maximum 10 overs) and Andrew Flintoff (nought for 36 off 10) did a good containing job for England captain Nasser Hussain. 

But with Andrew Caddick out for the series due to a side strain, the rest of the attack suffered. Gentle medium-pacer Paul Collingwood, the first Durham player to represent England in front of his home crowd, saw his six overs go for 60 with recalled left-arm spinner Ashley Giles (five overs for 41) also expensive. 

James Kirtley, taking the new ball in place of the dropped Matthew Hoggard, suffered as well, his nine overs yielding 65 runs. 

Tendulkar put on 169 for the fourth wicket with Rahul Dravid, the runs coming off 206 balls before Yuvraj's innings added impetus. 

Dravid too was accelerating when he holed out off Collingwood to Flintoff at deep square leg. Keeper Dravid's 117 ball-innings included seven fours. 

Earlier India got off to the worst possible start when captain Sourav Ganguly, who had won the toss, was out to the first ball of the innings, lbw to a Gough inswinger. Virender Sehwag and Dinesh Mongia both each got in but both gave their wicket away. 

First Sehwag (16), chipped Kirtley to Marcus Trescothick at mid-on. And 48 for two became 52 for three when left-hander Mongia (27) turned a Gough delivery off his legs straight to Flintoff at short mid-wicket. Tendulkar, whose lone six came legside off Collingwood, played steadily early on before his second fifty came off 34 balls. 

India beat England by six wickets when the teams met at Lord's on Saturday. They currently top the table with two wins from two matches. England have the same number of victories but have played three games to India's two while Sri Lanka remain winless after three matches.