IAN Bell warmed up for the forthcoming one-day series against Bangladesh with a career-best List A score for England Lions as their game against India A at New Road ended in a thrilling tie.

Bell, who captained the side in the absence of Alastair Cook, raced to 158 off 143 balls with one six and 20 fours out of 343 for eight in 50 overs.

But India’s ninth-wicket pair of Wriddhiman Saha and Abhimanyu Mithun scrambled a bye off the last ball to level the scores.

A splendid century from India opener Abhinav Mukund laid the platform for the dramatic finale.

It means the two sides will meet again in the final at the same venue on Thursday with West Indies A having been eliminated.

Bell has not played a one-day international for the senior England side since November 2008 against India in Bangalore.

But the Warwickshire batsman showed he will take on Bangladesh in prime form if selected as he surpassed his previous highest List A score of 137 for his county against Yorkshire at Edgbaston in 2005.

He reached his sixth one-day century off 117 balls but then moved up a gear in reaching his third 50 off only 21 deliveries.

He was initially given good support by former Worcestershire wicketkeeper Steve Davies (54) on his former stomping ground in a second-wicket stand of 107 in 17 overs.

Then Bell was aided by Darren Stevens (64) in a third-wicket partnership of 154 in 21 overs.

At one stage England looked on course for an even more substantial total before losing a flurry of wickets in the final five overs.