KOCHI (India), March 13: Alistair Campbell hit his third successive fifty to help Zimbabwe beat India by six wickets in the third One-day International Wednesday and go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

The left-hander struck a well-paced 71 as Zimbabwe coasted to 197 for four in 44.2 overs after dismissing India for a modest 191 in 48.3 overs.

In partnership with Grant Flower, who scored 49, the former Zimbabwe captain added 105 for the third wicket to put the Southern Africans firmly on course for victory.

Campbell, who scored 84 and 62 in the first two games against India, struck seven fours and a six in 119 balls before he was stumped by Ajay Ratra, after advancing down the wicket to off-spinner Sharandeep Singh in the 34th over.

He was dismissed after completing his 29th one-day fifty, but skipper Stuart Carlisle (21) and Craig Wishart (17) eased Zimbabwe to their victory target with 5.4 overs to spare.

Zimbabwe’s comfortable victory was set up earlier by 21-year-old medium-pacer Douglas Hondo, who took four for 37 and was later named man of the match.

Hondo, playing in only his third One-day International and his first game on tour, was rewarded for maintaining an impeccable line on a pitch which offered early movement off the seam.

Scoreboard

INDIA:

D. Mongia lbw b Hondo 4

S.C. Ganguly b Hondo 11

V.V.S. Laxman c Taibu b Hondo 20

R.S. Dravid c Wishart b Mbangwa 6

M. Kaif c Wishart b Streak 56

S.B. Bangar c Hondo b Marillier 36

A. Ratra c Marillier b Flower 3

A.B. Agarkar c Streak b Flower 3

Harbhajan Singh not out 24

Sharandeep Singh c Carlisle b M’llier 3

Zaheer Khan c Marillier b Hondo 2

EXTRAS (LB-7, W-14, NB-2) 23

TOTAL (all out, 48.3 overs) 191

FALL OF WKTS: 1-10, 2-38, 3-49, 4-51, 5-137, 6-147, 7-155, 8-157, 9-169.

BOWLING: Streak 8-0-27-1 (1nb, 3w); Hondo 8.3-0-37-4 (1nb, 1w); Mbangwa 10-2-31-1; Friend 2-0-10-0 (2w); Marillier 10-0-44-2 (7w); Flower 10-0-35-2 (1w).

ZIMBABWE:

A.D.R. Campbell st Ratra b S'deep 71

D.D. Ebrahim b Agarkar 3

T.J. Friend b Zaheer 15

G.W. Flower c Ratra b Agarkar 49

S.V. Carlisle not out 21

C.B. Wishart not out 17

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-5, NB-11) 21

TOTAL (for four wkts, 44.2 overs) 197

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-39, 3-144, 4-173.

DID NOT BAT: D.A. Marillier, H.H. Streak, T. Taibu, D.T. Hondo, M. Mbangwa.

BOWLING: Zaheer Khan 9-1-41-1 (5nb, 1w); Agarkar 10-3-28-2 (1nb); Bangar 5-0-18-0; Harbhajan Singh 10-1-29-0 (3w); Sharandeep Singh 8-1-49-1 (3nb, 1w); Mongia 2.2-0-27-0 (2nb).—Reuters