India took the NatWest trophy when beating England by 2 wickets in the Tri-Nation final played at Lord’s yesterday. Sri Lanka was the third team but was eliminated in the preliminary round after losing five of their six matches.

England scored 325 for 5 in 50 overs to which India replied with 326 for 8 in 49.3 overs.

LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain hit contrasting centuries as England amassed 325 for five after opting to bat first against India in their triangular series limited-overs final on Saturday.

Trescothick laid the perfect foundations for England’s fourth highest one-day score on a sunny day at Lord’s with a 42-run opening stand with Nick Knight and a 185-run partnership with skipper Hussain before he was bowled by leg-spinner Anil Kumble for a pugnacious 109 off 100 balls.

The left-handed opener’s innings, which included seven fours and two sixes, was a trademark mix of straight drives, stolen singles and huge heaves to the midwicket boundary boards.

Hussain, in contrast, while running beautifully between the wickets as India’s fielders wilted under pressure, served up a ugly mix of slogs, snicks and reverse sweeps which never suggested permanence but did not stop him scoring 115 and his first one-day international century.

When he reached three figures, Hussain, whose batting position in the one-day side has come under close media scrutiny, pointed at the number three on his back.

It was only the second time England have had two century-makers in a one-day international.

At least Hussain’s innings was effective. Knight, looking horribly out of touch, charged down the pitch, miscuing and missing with cross-bat swings before he was bowled off his pads by pace bowler Zaheer Khan for 14.

Trescothick, however, soon punished the bowler with a heavy six over midwicket, bringing up his half-century off 57 deliveries.

HEAVY PUNISHMENT

Pace bowler Ashish Nehra then suffered some heavy punishment as he conceded 11 off an over as Trescothick hammered him off the front foot through cover and then pulled him to the midwicket boards.

What luck there was went England’s way as Trescothick survived three half-chances.

Yuvrav Singh, diving spectacularly at deep gully, could only get a hand to a open-bladed cut, while Mohammad Kaif failed to react to a full-blooded drive which almost cut him in half at cover when Trescothick was on 60.

India, however, bidding to end a series of nine defeats in one-day tournament finals dating back to 1998, let themselves down with their ground fielding while their spinners and support bowlers failed to stem the run flow.

When skipper Saurav Ganguly had a go with his medium-pace, he was hit out of the attack after three overs which cost 28 runs.Virender Sehwag’s four overs of off-spin went for 26.

Trescothick’s departure made it 227 for two with just over 13 overs left but England still managed to add 98 more.

Big-hitting all-rounder Andrew Flintoff joined Hussain and hammered Yuvrav Singh for a straight six on his way to 32-ball 40 before he was bowled by another Khan full toss after an 80-run stand.

Hussain produced his best shot, an in-to-out lofted drive to the cover boundary off Sehwag before he was bowled attempting a sweep off Nehra. Khan took three for 62.

Sri Lanka failed to reach the final after winning just one of their six games.