RAVI Bopara's promotion to the top of the England batting order could not prevent Kevin Pietersen's side crashing to a third consecutive One-Day International defeat in India.

The Essex batsman responded brilliantly to being asked to open the batting alongside Ian Bell, top-scoring with 60 from 82 balls as England were bowled out for 240 in Kanpur.

However, a combination of superb batting from Virender Sehwag and fading light handed India victory by 16 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method.

Bopara and Bell added 79 for the first wicket before the latter was caught by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off the bowling of Munaf Patel for 46.

The 23-year-old continued, however, and was the fourth man out when he was stumped by Dhoni off spinner Yuvraj Singh with the score on 133.

Owais Shah (40 from 42 balls) and 26 apiece from Andrew Flintoff and Samit Patel carried England past the 200-mark, but their total was always likely to be a little too low on a lightning fast outfield.

Indian opener Sehwag played his own gem of an innings, surviving a difficult caught and bowled chance off Patel to bring up his half-century with a six on the way to 68 off just 76 balls.

Flintoff did his utmost to slow the hosts' charge, removing Gautam Gambhir (14), Sehwag and the dangerous Yuvraj (38), who had hit sensational centuries in the opening two matches of the seven-game series.

However, with the light rapidly fading, an unbeaten partnership of 21 between Dhoni (29 not out) and Yusuf Pathan (12 not out) saw India to 198-5 from 40 overs.

The pair then took the umpires' offer to go off the field, handing India victory and a 3-0 advantage ahead of Sunday's fourth game in Bangalore.

*GRAHAM Napier made a sensational winning start to his winter in New Zealand.

The Essex all-rounder took 3-44 as the Wellington Firebirds thrashed the Canterbury Wizards by an innings and 42 runs at the Basin Reserve to open their State Championship campaign with a resounding victory.

Napier was on fine bowling form in the Wizards' second innings, removing Todd Astle, Shanan Stewart and Michael Davidson as Canterbury subsided to 224 all out.

Earlier, the 28-year-old had made a duck as the Firebirds piled up 428-8 in their first innings before bowling their opponents out for just 162.

Wellington return to action in their second State Championship game of the new season against the Auckland Aces at Eden Park Outer Oval on Monday, November 24.