England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff made an instant impact on his return to the side as they dismissed India for just 187 at Lord's here Saturday.

Flintoff showed no signs of the ankle injury that ruled him out of the games at Headingly and the Oval, taking the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Mahendra Dhoni as the tourists failed to come to terms with the pressure of the series decider.

Flintoff's performance however was overshadowed by Dimitri Mascarenhas who also took three wickets, but conceded just 23 runs from his 10 overs.

After punishing India with the bat at the Oval, this time he did the damage with the ball, also bowling two maidens in his spell.

With the series tied at 3-3, India's decision to bat after winning the toss seemed to place them in the driving seat.

But some superb fast bowling from James Anderson and Stuart Broad saw India restricted to just 53 runs in the first 15 overs. In that time Anderson also claimed the wickets of Sourav Ganguly and Guatam Gambhir.

Ganguly and Tendulkar were

making their last appearances at Lord's for India, and that, coupled with the pressure of the occasion, got to the pair.

Tendulkar played some uncharacteristically loose shots, while Ganguly could have been out twice in one Stuart Broad over. Fortunately for the Indian opener, the ball dropped short of the fielder on both occasions.

Ganguly's luck finally ran out when he edged Anderson to Flintoff at second slip. Tendulkar continued to battle away, but when Guatam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid both departed within the space of five balls India's task got harder.

Tendulkar's last innings at Lord's finally came to an end when the faintest of nicks gave Flintoff his second wicket. The Indian opener seemed reluctant to go, and was given a standing ovation from the crowd as he trudged back to the pavilion.

At 59-4 India were struggling; but Yuvraj began the fightback smashing Broad for six into the Grand Stand. Robin Uthappa also got in on the act, hitting Flintoff for 10 in one over, as the tourists reached 100-4 in the 24th over.

The pair put on 47 for the fifth wicket before Uthappa, who had already survived a vehement England appeal for caught behind when he was on 14, lobbed a catch to Anderson at mid-on. Yuvraj didn't

last much longer, before he too fell to Mascarenhas's bowling.

The last of India's recognised batsman tried to cut the mediumpacer for four, but only succeeded in guiding the ball into the waiting hands of Collingwood.

Mahendra Dhoni did his best to get the tourists to a respectable total, scoring a valuable half century, which included hitting Anderson back over his head for six.

Anderson though had the last laugh, racing round the boundary to take a fine diving catch as Dhoni tried to hit Flintoff for six.

SCOREBOARD

Scoreboard of the Indian innings against England in the seventh and final one-day international at Lord's in London on Saturday:

INDIA

Ganguly c Flintoff b Anderson 15 Tendulkar c Prior b Flintoff 30

Gambhir c Wright b Anderson 12 Dravid c Prior b Flintoff 0

Yuvraj c Collingwood

b Mascarenhas 28

Uthappa c Anderson

b Mascarenhas 22

b Mascarenhas 22

Dhoni c Anderson b Flintoff 50 Powar run out (Shah) 10

Chawla st Prior b Mascarenhas 0

Zaheer b Panesar 7

RP Singh not out 1

Extras: (lb-8, nb-4) 12

Total: (All out in 47.3overs) 187

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-52, 3-53, 4-59, 5-106, 6-119, 7-147, 8-148, 9-160

Bowler O M R W

Broad 10 0 44 0

Anderson 9 1 28 2

Flintoff 8.3 0 45 3

Mascarenhas 10 2 23 3

Panesar 8 2 28 1

Wright 2 0 11 0

ENGLAND: Wright, Prior, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Flintoff, Shah, Mascarenhas, Broad, Anderson, Panesar

Toss: India

Umpires: Aleem Dar and Ian

Gould.