England ride Stokes’s 57 to post 321/8 in ODI

Kolkata, Jan 22 (IANS) England batsmen braved regular break-throughs by Indian bowlers to post 321/8 in their third One-Day International (ODI) cricket match at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.

India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and put the visitors in to bat.

Hardik Pandya (3/49) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/62) took wickets at important junctures but England batsmen still managed to put up a strong total.

Jadeja broke the opening stand of 98 runs between Jason Roy (65) and Sam Billings (35).

Pandya snapped the third wicket partnership between Eoin Morgan (43) and Jonny Bairstow (56) to keep the visitors’ run-flow in check.

But a late flurry from in-form all-rounder Ben Stokes (57), with Chris Woakes (35) for company, helped England cross the 300-run mark.

Engand scored 58 runs in the last five overs to finish strongly. The seventh-wicket partnership of Stokes and Woakes compiled 73 runs.