On the back of a fantastic start by their batsmen, India A commenced their tour of England with a grand 125-run victory over England Cricket Board XI at Headingley, Leeds. It was an apt way for the Indians to start proceedings in the foreign conditions where they are scheduled to play England Lions and West Indies A in a triangular series.
In which was the first of the two tour matches that they will play before the triangular series, India A posted 328-8 in the allotted quota of 50 overs after Alex David, captain of England Cricket Board XI, won the toss and put the visitors in to bat.
India had sent Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal to open the innings. The latter’s struggle for form continued from the Indian Premier League to the English conditions as he was dismissed on 4 (12) in the sixth over. Shaw, on the other hand, top-scored for his team, playing a breezy 70 (61) with the help of seven fours and three sixes.
Shaw got out in the 21st over after stitching an 84-run stand for the second wicket alongside Hanuma Vihari (38). India was soon reduced to 4-147 in the 26th over. In a spot of bother and with two new batsmen on the crease, a partnership was the need of the hour.
Captain Shreyas Iyer (54) and wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan (50) joined hands to stitch a 99-run partnership for the fifth wicket as India A were seen coming back into the match. Contributions from Krunal Pandya (38) and Axar Patel (28*) in the death oversaw India A scoring an imposing total. With bowling figures of 10-0-50-4, Ryan Higgins was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.
The English batsmen got starts but none of them went on to play a substantial knock, something which was required to chase 329 runs. The Indian bowlers dismissed the opposition on 203 in 36.5 overs. Matt Critchley, who came in to bat at No. 7, top-scored with 40 (48). Deepak Chahar, who bowled with the new ball for India A, picked up the best bowling figures of 7.5-0-48-3. All other Indian bowlers in Patel (2), Vijay Shankar (1), Pandya (1), Khaleel Ahmed (1) and Prasidh Krishna (1) were amongst the wickets as well.
