Bell gives England a fighting chance in third one-dayer

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) Ian Bell made 77 to salvage England's innings of 261 for seven against Sri Lanka in the third one-dayer at Durham's Chester-le-Street ground today.

The touring side, seeking to wrap up the five-match series after their convincing wins at Lord's and The Oval but without match winner Muttiah Muralitharan, looked well short of their best, with only fast bowler Chaminda Vaas at the top of his game.

England, carelessly threw away their best start of the series before Bell held the innings together during his 114-ball knock. The diminutive right-hander scored only three boundaries but anchored the innings as 89 were added during the final 10 overs.

The home side's openers put on 62 after England opted to bat but soon captain Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick and Kevin Pietersen had all gone to make it 92 for three in the 21st over.

Strauss, having looked good for 32, played across Vaas and fell lbw. Trescothick, with 36 off 39 deliveries, played right over a straight one to give Vaas his second success.

Then Pietersen, hampered by a bruised knee, lashed out at a short, wide ball from fast bowler Lasith Malinga and feathered behind after scoring just six.

With Pietersen's fall, the innings lost momentum. Bell and Collingwood put on 53 with tip-and-run cricket but Collingwood became the third man to get out in the thirties, driving straight to short extra cover and falling to leg spinner Malinga Bandara.

Bell, the anchor man, now had to open up. It took him 69 deliveries to score his first boundary, off Bandara, and he quickly added a second as he tried to inject some urgency after England reached 172 for four off 40 overs.

Jamie Dalrymple contributed by hoisting the leg spinner over long on for the first six of the innings, then clattering Vaas for three fours off an over, the first two through extra-cover.

His breezy 35 off 32 balls ended when he stepped outside off stump, aiming to sweep Malinga to fine leg. Instead, he helped the ball into his leg stump.

Geraint Jones also chipped in an unbeaten 22 off 13 balls, while Vaas finished with two for 38 off nine overs.

Muralitharan, the cornerstone of the Sri Lanka attack, will miss the rest of the series after flying home to be with his young son, who has undergone stomach surgery.

Reuters DH RS1950