England edge ahead at Lord's

England have moved into a 2-1 lead in the one-day series against South Africa with a six-wicket triumph in the fourth match at Lord's.

After restricting the Proteas to 220-8, Ian Bell made 88 as the hosts won with 20 balls to spare, an impressive triumph that means they will remain on top of the ICC's 50-over rankings for the rest of 2012.

Jonathan Trott contributed 48 before Eoin Morgan and Craig Kieswetter rushed their side over the line, the latter finishing the match with a six.

Spinner James Tredwell had earlier taken 3-35 while Ravi Bopara weighed in with two wickets, as England's bowlers impressed on a pitch offering turn.

Important toss

Home captain Alastair Cook may have made just two with the bat but he did make one important contribution at the start of the day - winning the toss.

Sent in at 10.15am in seam-friendly conditions, South Africa were forced to play conservatively in their attempts to bounce back from Friday's defeat at the Oval.

Openers Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith put on a stand of 68 in 19 overs before the latter was caught behind off the bowling of Jade Dernbach for 29.

Amla, who top-scored for the visitors with 45, should have already gone by then, England yet again giving him an early reprieve when Tredwell failed to hang on to a sharp chance away to his right at second slip off Steven Finn.

The miss cost 41 runs, though Bopara's dismissal of the right-hander sparked a run of three quick wickets, meaning the visitors went from 100-1 to 115-4.

Tredwell and wicketkeeper Kieswetter combined to account for De Villiers (39), South Africa's one-day skipper overstretching as he attempted a drive, and the same duo also saw off Wayne Parnell in similar fashion, giving Kieswetter his third stumping of the innings.

Ryan McLaren was run out for just a single but Robin Peterson made England pay for failing to dismiss him cheaply, striking a six and four boundaries in his unbeaten 31.

Gloomy conditions

When Dale Steyn sent back Cook at the end of the first over England might have feared a tough chase in gloomy conditions, meaning the floodlights had to be turned on at cricket HQ.

However, Bell and Jonathan Trott combined in a vital second-wicket partnership, the two Warwickshire batsmen adding 141.

Trott played through the pain barrier after being hit on the hand early on, though he fell two runs short of a half-century when Dean Elgar had him lbw thanks to the help of the DRS.

Bopara came and went for six and although Bell was not quite able to reach three figures for just the third time in ODI cricket, nicking an attempted uppercut off Parnell through to the 'keeper, Morgan made sure there would be no late wobble with an unbeaten 36 at a run-a-ball rate.

Kieswetter was even more destructive in a late cameo, needing just 12 deliveries for his 21 runs. There were three fours and also a six, a lofted blow down the ground off Steyn sealing the result in the home team's favour.

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