India’s hopes of clinching a series in the “Queen’s Land” got shattered as England defeated India 3-2 in the final test played at Birmingham and won the 3-test series 2-1.

The Indian team started from where they had left in the last match. They got a penalty stroke in the 3rd minute only, and Vikram Pilley gave all the Indian spectators, who were present in big numbers, their first reason to cheer.

Just 15 minutes later, S.V. Sunil cheered them again as he scored India’s first field goal in the match and doubled the Indian lead. Mere 18 minutes of play, and India was leading 2-0! All the Indian supporters could smell a series victory from there on.

But that was it for India.

In the 30th minute, Ashley Jackson, who had scored 2 goals in the previous encounter, opened his team’s account through a penalty corner. At the half time, score-line was 2-1 in India’s favour.

Jackson showed his skills again in the second half as he converted another PC and made it 2-2 in the 50th minute.

It could have been anybody’s game from this situation, but today was England’s day. Young Iain Mackay, who made his international debut just a couple of months ago against Germany, scored a field goal in the 64th minute and the Indians could do nothing in the remaining time. So the hosts won the match 3-2 and clinched the series 2-1.

Earlier, England had won the first match 3-1, but the Indian team did well enough to make the series 1-1 in the second encounter.

In the final match of the series, which was played in dry and sunny weather, the Indians were moving nicely till the half-time whistle, but a good show by the host team in the second half disappointed all the Indian supporters.