BANGALORE, Dec 23: India won the series 1-0 when the third and final Test against England ended in a draw after the fifth day was washed out by rain Sunday without a ball being bowled.

A wet ground caused by heavy overnight rain delayed the start and the umpires decided to call off the day’s play at around 1100 local time (0530 GMT) as persistent drizzle fell.

England were in command when rain also forced play to be called off early Saturday. The tourists were 33 for no wicket in their second innings, a lead of 131 runs.

Just over an hour of play was possible on the fourth day after rain and bad light had restricted play to 43 overs on Friday.

England pace bowler Andrew Flintoff was named Man-of-the-Match for his return of four for 50, including all three of India’s top-order batsmen, to give his side the upper hand by restricting India to 238 in reply to England’s 336.

“I didn’t expect that I’d bowl so well, I’m very pleased,” Fintoff said later.

The 24-year-old Lancashire all-rounder joined the team after England’s opening tour match to strengthen the side in the absence of first-choice pacemen Andy Caddick and Darren Gough.

Sachin Tendulkar, India’s premier batsman, was voted Man-of-the-Series for his aggregate of 307 runs, including one hundred and two fifties at an average of 76.75.

But Tendulkar, who scored 90 at Bangalore before being stumped for the first time in his 12-year career after left-arm spinner Ashley Giles frustrated him with a persistent leg-stump attack, was disappointed at missing out on two more Test hundreds.

He had to settle for 88 in Mohali but made 103, his 27th Test century, at Ahmedabad.

England ‘s cricketers fly home for a Christmas break before returning to India in January for a one-day series.—Reuters