High-scoring game on cards in the third India-England ODI

Ranchi: A typical batting-friendly wicket will be on offer when India and England square off in the third cricket one-day international of the five-match series here on January 19.

This will be the first international match at the newly-built Jharkhand State Cricket Association stadium which will be inaugurated tomorrow by the state governor Syed Ahmed. A flat wicket, a quick outfield coupled with a small ground make it a typical Rajkot-like condition that saw in excess of 600 runs being scored in the first ODI. "People want plenty of runs for one-day cricket and the wicket out here will live up to it. Chances are that we might see runs at a rate of six-seven," local curator Basudeb Site said, indicating another 300-plus total on the cards. With winter almost gone in these parts, dew would not be a worry, he added. The ground last hosted Jharkhand`s home match against Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy from November 24-27, 2012. The match saw four centuries from both the teams as the pitch eased up with Himachal Pradesh taking a first innings lead. PTI