Alastair Cook, Sam Curran help England Lions Beat India A Convincingly
Published - 20 Jul 2018, 01:03 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:04 AM
Table of Contents
England Lions thrashed India A in the only unofficial Test by 253 runs to leave the visiting team in tatters ahead of the Test series between India and England, which begins on August 1st.
The victory was built mainly around a sensational 180 from Alastair Cook in the first innings. Helping the cause, Sam Curran bagged five wickets in the 1st innings and chipped in with a couple in the 2nd, as the Lions made light work of the star-studded Indian line-up.
As many as four players from the Test squad was part of the playing XI. After batting first at the New Road Stadium in Worcester, the England Lions posted a competitive total of 423 runs. Former English skipper Cook was quite brilliant during his knock of 180 which studded with 26 gorgeous fours. Nick Gubbins and Dawid Malan also chipped in with useful knocks of 73 and 74, respectively.
The Indian bowlers came back strongly in the later part of the innings and bagged the last eight wickets for just 78 runs. Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the touring bowlers bagging four scalps. Shahbaz Nadeem and Ankit Rajpoot chipped with three and two wickets, respectively. India began quite poorly and lost the first three wickets for just 50 runs.
Also Read: Robin Uthappa replaces Karun Nair in Karnataka Premier League
The Indian batting order faltered
Murali Vijay, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair were back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers much. Prithvi Shaw, the teenage star was the top scorer for India with 62 off 82 deliveries which included eight fours.
Rishabh Pant scored a fluent half-century, and Ajinkya Rahane fell just a run short of a well-deserved fifty.
For the home team, Sam Curran was the pick of the bowlers bagging five wickets. In the end, India A was eventually bowled out for 197 in the 67th over.
England scored 194/5 in their 2nd innings in quick time before declaring the innings. Dawid Malan and Ollie Pope chipped in with essential half-centuries to get the Lions going. Siraj again was the pick of the Indian bowlers bagging three wickets.
India was asked to chase more than 400 in the 2nd essay
India was set an improbable victory target of 421 runs to chase in the 2nd essay.
The English bowlers were all over India A from the outset. The visitors lost the first four wickets for just 15 runs, and there was no way back for them from there. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Rishabh Pant yet again scored a fighting half-century amidst the collapse.
Ajinkya Rahane, the Test vice-captain, again fell agonisingly close of a half-century. Pant’s 61 came in just 71 deliveries which included seven fours and a couple of sixes. The visitors eventually got skittled out for 167 runs in 44 overs. James Porter, Sam Curran and Dominic Bess bagged a couple of wickets each.
Also Read: ENG Vs IND, 2018: Know How Rishabh Pant Managed to Break into the Indian Test Squad?
Brief Scores
England Lions 1st innings 423 all-out in 128.5 overs (Alastair Cook 180, Dawid Malan 74, Nick Gubbins 73, Mohammed Siraj 4/79)
India A 1st innings 197 all-out in 66.5 overs (Prithvi Shaw 62, Rishabh Pant 58, Sam Curran 5/43)
England Lions 2nd innings 194/5 dec in 52 overs (Dawid Malan 56, Ollie Pope 50, Mohammed Siraj 3/55)
India A 2nd innings 167 all-out in 44 overs (Rishabh Pant 61, Ajinkya Rahane 48, Sam Curran 2/17)
England Lions won by 253 runs.
