Indore, April 15:

Newcomer Robin Uthappa smashed a robust 86 as India defeated England by seven wickets in the seventh and final one-dayer here on Saturday to wrap up the series 5-1.

The 20-year-old opener put on 166 for the opening wicket with skipper Rahul Dravid (69) as the hosts chased down England’s total of 288 for their 15th consecutive win batting second.

India had already romped away with the series by winning the first four matches. England’s lone win came in the sixth game at Jamshedpur after a rained off tie at Guwahati.

England had posted their highest total in the series with Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood each hammering 64 runs, and wicket-keeper Geraint Jones chipping in with a run-a-ball 53.

England looked like crossing the 300-mark before losing the last six wickets in the closing five overs.

Seamer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth grabbed four wickets in his second spell to finish with 6-55, his maiden haul of five or more wickets in 13 one-dayers.

But India’s star was Uthappa, who dominated the England attack with a wide range of shots. He hit one six and 12 fours in his 96-ball knock to give his team just the start they needed.

Uthappa looked in fine nick from the outset, striking England’s opening bowler James Anderson for two fours and a six.

Dravid matched his opening partner before being trapped leg-before by seamer Sajid Mahmood after hitting nine boundaries.

India lost both openers with the score on 166, but Suresh Raina (52) and Yuvraj Singh (64 not out) put on 115 for the third wicket to ensure their team did not squander Uthappa’s hard work.

Pietersen showed the way with his third half-century of the series, and the eighth of his career. He was in a punishing mood, hitting Vikram Rajvir Singh for four boundaries and a six in one over.

He batted with a runner after completing his half-century due to pain in his knee and fell soon after when he slog-swept spinner Yuvraj to Uthappa at deep mid-wicket. He hit one six and 11 fours in his 55-ball knock.

Jones and Collingwood then maintained the tempo as they added 92 for the fifth wicket.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND

A Strauss c Karthik b Sreesanth 25

I Bell run out 32

M Prior c Pathan b Sreesanth 2

K Pietersen c Uthappa b Y Singh 64

P Collingwood c RP Singh b Pathan 64

G Jones c Karthik b Sreesanth 53

I Blackwell c Raina b Sreesanth 11

L Plunkett c VR Singh b Sreesanth 6

K Ali c Rao b Pathan 1

S Mehmood c VR Singh b Sreesanth 9

J Anderson not out 0

Extras: 21 (4lb, 8nb, 9w)

Total: 288 (50 overs)

FoW: 1-43, 2-47, 3-110, 4-165, 5-257, 6-267, 7-274, 8-277, 9-288

India bowling: Pathan 10-1-44-2, Sreesanth 10-1-55-6, RP Singh 7-0-44-0, VRV Singh 7-0-73-0, Powar 9-1-38-0, Y Singh 7-0-30-1

INDIA

R Uthappa run out 86

R Dravid lbw b Mehmood 69

Y Singh not out 63

S Raina b Ali 53

I Pathan not out 1

R Uthappa run out 86

R Dravid lbw b Mehmood 69

Y Singh not out 63

S Raina b Ali 53

I Pathan not out 1

Extras: 17 (5lb, 4nb, 8w)

Total: 289/3 (49.1 overs)

FoW: 1-166, 2-166, 3-281

England bowling: Anderson 8.1-0-67-0, Mehmood 10-0-61-1, Plunkett 10-0-40-0, Ali 8-0-47-1, Blackwell 10-0-51-0, Collingwood 3-0-18-0