ENGLAND thrashed India by nine wickets with more than 22 overs to spare on Tuesday (January 20) to record their first win in the tri-series tournament in Australia and boost their confidence ahead of next month's World Cup.
Fast bowler Steven Finn claimed his first five-wicket haul in a one-day international as England destroyed India's batting lineup at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Finn took 5-33 from eight overs while Jimmy Anderson picked up four wickets as the pair skittled the reigning world champions for 153 in less than 40 overs.
Ian Bell and James Taylor both posted unbeaten half-centuries as England cruised to victory in 27.3 overs, earning a bonus point for their lopsided win.
Bell finished 88 not out off 91 balls, inching closer to 5,000 ODI career runs, while the pint-sized Taylor remained unconquered on 54 from 63 deliveries, chalking up his third fifty in eight ODI appearances.
The pair shared an unbroken partnership of 131 after England lost opener Moeen Ali for eight, the only hiccup in the romp.
"Outstanding. We really put a team performance, which I was delighted with," England captain Eion Morgan told reporters.
"And there were individual performances. Steve Finn got that bounce and made most of it. Jimmy (Anderson) set the tone with an early breakthrough."
The towering Finn, who stands 2.01 metres (6ft-7in) tall, tore through India's fragile middle order with his pace and extra bounce, with three of his wickets coming through catches to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
Finn got the prized wickets of Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni and was on a hat-trick after he clean bowled Axar Patel for a golden duck.
Anderson gave England the perfect start when he removed Shikhar Dhawan for one in the third over and returned to mop up the tail and finish with 4-18.
With India's world record holder Rohit Sharma skipping the match because of a minor hamstring complaint, the tourists needed someone else to make a big contribution but no-one did.
All-rounder Stuart Binny, who came in for Ravichandran Ashwin, top scored with 44, while Dhoni made a patient 34 and opener Ajinkya Rahane 33.
"We have to use whatever time is left before the World Cup in a useful manner. Staying four and a half months away from home is difficult, but we have to switch on and switch off," Dhoni said.
"We need to switch on and assess what needs to be done in the nets, or wait in the hotel if the need be."
