Ajinkya Rahane shines in win

Mumbai: Ajinkya Rahane led from the front to guide India A to a comprehensive six-wicket win over England XI in the second 50-over warm up game at Brabourne Stadium here on Thursday. Suresh Raina also made optimum use of the practice game with a 34-ball 45 while Sheldon Jackson and Rishabh Pant struck contrasting half centuries.

Opting to bat first after chasing well on Tuesday, England XI were bowled out for 282 with Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales striking half-centuries. The last pair of Adil Rashid (39) and David Willey (38 not out) added 71 runs to take England to a respectable score.

Off-spinner Parvez Rasool was the pick of the bowlers for India A with 3/38. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (2/41), medium pacer Ashoke Dinda (2/55) and left-arm seamer Pradeep Sangwan (2/64) picked two wickets apiece.

The 28-year-old Rahane who missed the last two Tests against England due to a finger injury showed no signs of discomfort during fielding on comeback and took a low catch at mid-wicket off Hales. He later opened the innings with Jackson to anchor India A’s chase of 283.

The Mumbai batsman made 91 runs in 83 balls in front of his home crowd before he was bowled by David Willey in the 33rd over. He looked in fluent touch, striking 10 boundaries and one six and was a calming influence on Jackson and youngster Pant in the middle. Jackson made a 56-ball 59 to share 119-run opening stand with Rahane. Later, an aggressive Pant smashed 59 (36b) to put India A on course. Raina also got going and played some big shots before being caught nicely at the deep midwicket boundary by Hales. Deepak Hooda (23 not out) and Ishan Kishan (5 not out) took their team home with 62 balls to spare.

India A spinners Rasool and Nadeem were the only bowlers to finish their full quota of ten overs in the match. Siddharth Kaul (1/31) who was part of the first warm-up game squad but didn’t get to play was included in second practice game on Thursday.

Skipper Eoin Morgan failed yet again offering a caught and bowled chance to Nadeem off the first ball he faced. Nadeem had in his earlier over accounted for opener Hales (51) by having him caught at midwicket by Rahane. Hales had completed his half century and put on 74 runs with Bairstow for the second wicket after Pradeep Sangwan ended Jason Roy’s breezy knock (15-ball 25) early.

England XI were well placed to score big again as Bairstow looked in sublime touch. However, they lost three quick wickets after Dinda came on for a second spell. The Bengal medium pacer dismissed Bairstow off his last ball before Rasool had the dangerous Buttler caught & bowled for a golden duck. Dinda then removed the struggling Moeen Ali first ball to be on a hat-trick which was averted by Chris Woakes.

Rasool settled into a good rythm, troubling batsmen especially Stokes from the outset. The England left-hander tried to hit away from trouble but wasn’t successful. Ultimately he holed out to Kishan at long-off with Rasool weaving the magic again after he cleaned up Woakes with a beauty. Stokes struggled for his 38 off 56 balls. Plunkett (8) fell to Kaul soon but Rashid and Willey ensured India A had to chase a stiff target.

Scores: England XI 282 in 48.5 overs (A. Hales 51, J. Bairstow 64, B. Stokes 38, P. Rasool 3/38, S. Nadeem 2/41) lost to India A 283/4 in 39.4 overs (A. Rahane 91, S. Jackson 59, R. Pant 59, S. Raina 45).