Manoj Tiwary staked his claims for a spot in the Test team with a determined knock of 93 which helped India A recover from a wobbly start to reach 369 for nine on day one of the three-day game against the touring England XI on Tuesday.
Tiwary’s feat came after opener Abhinav Mukund and comeback man Yuvraj Singh, also in the running for no. 6 slot in the Indian Test squad, hit quick-fire half-centuries after India A skipper Suresh Raina won the toss and elected to bat at Brabourne Stadium.
The Bengal captain, looking well-set for a deserving century, tried to play across against pacer Tim Bresnan and lost his stumps. He faced 150 balls and hit 12 fours in his 202-minute knock. At the draw of stumps, Vinay Kumar (25) and last man Parwinder Awana (11) were at the crease. Tiwary, who came in at the fall of skipper Suresh Raina’s wicket with the scoreboard reading 140/4, pulled the innings together despite India A losing two more wickets at 190. The middle-order batsman put on a century partnership with Irfan Pathan who made 46 in 113 minutes. The duo put on a stand of 110 for the seventh wicket in 168 balls with Pathan striking five fours and two sixes to take the team past the 300-mark.
Earlier, Mukund made a quick-fire 73 with 16 fours after living dangerously in the beginning, while Yuvraj, dropped first ball by Samit Patel at square leg off Tim Bresnan, slammed four sixes against the spinners and seven fours in his knock of 59 before both the left-handers were claimed by spinner Graeme Swann on either side of lunch. Yuvraj struck seven sweetly-timed fours and four well-hit sixes, two each off left-arm spinner Patel and Swann, in his 80-ball 59 before the latter exacted revenge. Yuvraj impressed the four selectors present before his impetuosity cost him his wicket. He was stumped while trying to clout Swann, who bowled beautifully, for a second six in the same over.
The other top-order batsmen, including Raina who is also in the running for the no. 6 slot, flopped. The home team lost Mukund, Murali Vijay (7) and Ajinkya Rahane (4) in the first session with 113 runs on board, and then surrendered the wickets of Raina (20), Yuvraj and Wridhiman Saha (20) in the second session.
Pathan was out leg before to Swann after tea, giving the off spinner his third wicket after a lengthy stint of near-continuous bowling barring a gap for change of ends. Bresnan then got rid off Tiwary and next man Ashok Dinda off successive balls. He ended up with impressive figures of 3 for 59 in 20 overs, having earlier taken the wicket of Rahane, while Swann claimed 3 for 90 in 23 overs. Other successful bowlers were Samit Patel, who sent back Raina, and James Anderson, who got rid off Saha.
England XI were handicapped by the right thigh injury sustained by pacer Steven Finn while fielding.
Tiwary’s feat came after opener Abhinav Mukund and comeback man Yuvraj Singh, also in the running for no. 6 slot in the Indian Test squad, hit quick-fire half-centuries after India A skipper Suresh Raina won the toss and elected to bat at Brabourne Stadium.
The Bengal captain, looking well-set for a deserving century, tried to play across against pacer Tim Bresnan and lost his stumps. He faced 150 balls and hit 12 fours in his 202-minute knock. At the draw of stumps, Vinay Kumar (25) and last man Parwinder Awana (11) were at the crease. Tiwary, who came in at the fall of skipper Suresh Raina’s wicket with the scoreboard reading 140/4, pulled the innings together despite India A losing two more wickets at 190. The middle-order batsman put on a century partnership with Irfan Pathan who made 46 in 113 minutes. The duo put on a stand of 110 for the seventh wicket in 168 balls with Pathan striking five fours and two sixes to take the team past the 300-mark.
Earlier, Mukund made a quick-fire 73 with 16 fours after living dangerously in the beginning, while Yuvraj, dropped first ball by Samit Patel at square leg off Tim Bresnan, slammed four sixes against the spinners and seven fours in his knock of 59 before both the left-handers were claimed by spinner Graeme Swann on either side of lunch. Yuvraj struck seven sweetly-timed fours and four well-hit sixes, two each off left-arm spinner Patel and Swann, in his 80-ball 59 before the latter exacted revenge. Yuvraj impressed the four selectors present before his impetuosity cost him his wicket. He was stumped while trying to clout Swann, who bowled beautifully, for a second six in the same over.
The other top-order batsmen, including Raina who is also in the running for the no. 6 slot, flopped. The home team lost Mukund, Murali Vijay (7) and Ajinkya Rahane (4) in the first session with 113 runs on board, and then surrendered the wickets of Raina (20), Yuvraj and Wridhiman Saha (20) in the second session.
Pathan was out leg before to Swann after tea, giving the off spinner his third wicket after a lengthy stint of near-continuous bowling barring a gap for change of ends. Bresnan then got rid off Tiwary and next man Ashok Dinda off successive balls. He ended up with impressive figures of 3 for 59 in 20 overs, having earlier taken the wicket of Rahane, while Swann claimed 3 for 90 in 23 overs. Other successful bowlers were Samit Patel, who sent back Raina, and James Anderson, who got rid off Saha.
England XI were handicapped by the right thigh injury sustained by pacer Steven Finn while fielding.