Delhi condemn England to second warm-up defeat ahead of India series

England will head into their one-day international series with India on the back of two straight defeats after they suffered a six-wicket loss to Delhi at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first in the warm-up clash, England seemed to be in the driving seat as Ian Bell continued his fine form with the bat to help his side to a healthy total of 294-5.
Bell, who made 91 as England went down to India A on Sunday, passed three figures this time but his score of 108 proved to be in vain as Delhi mounted an impressive chase.
Shikhar Dhawan top-scored with 110 while Milind Kumar (78 not out) and Rajat Bhatia (45no) led home the hosts, who secured the win with nine balls to spare.
England decided to rest Kevin Pietersen, while captain Alastair Cook was brought back in after missing the India A loss due to a cold. Joe Root and Stuart Meaker also came in as Jos Buttler and Tim Bresnan were left out.
There was no cause for concern early on as Bell made a fine century before being trapped lbw by Varun Sood.

Good start

Eoin Morgan contributed a half-century to the cause, while returning skipper Cook set the innings off on the right note with a knock of 44.
Sood returned figures of 3-45 but England had the last word in the innings as some big hitting from Craig Kieswetter (41 not out from 27 balls) led them to the brink of 300.
Cook initially scored at a faster rate than opening partner Bell but after the skipper, Root (10) and Samit Patel (13) all fell, Bell put on a fourth-wicket stand of 113 from 93 balls with Morgan, who departed in the 48th over for 52.
England were not finished, however, as the quick-scoring Kieswetter ended the innings in style by hitting the last two deliveries for six.
The total appeared to be enough for a confidence-boosting victory but Dhawan and India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand (37) attacked the touring bowlers straightaway.
The scoring subsided a little after Dhawan was dismissed by Root, but Kumar and Bhatia struck back late on to knock off the runs with relative ease.
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