India A too strong for ECB XI

posted by John Winn

Because of Yorkshire's continued involvement in the Royal London Cup, they visit Hampshire today to decide who will face Kent in the Lord's final at the end of the month, India A took on an ECB XI at Headingley yesterday in place of Yorkshire, the originally scheduled opponents. The ECB XI was restricted to players from counties who had departed the One Day cup at the group stage but led by Lancashire's Alex Davies it looked strong enough on paper but rather disappointed in both batting and bowling.

A sparse crowd was in attendance when Davies won the toss and elected to field, a crowd a majority of which seemed inclined to support India A. The morning was cloudy with a coolish breeze but India's batsmen  were soon into their stride and the boundaries they hit in scoring 39 off the first four overs brought applause that identified that most of their supporters were in the upper tier of the North East stand. Quickest out of the blocks was Prithi Shaw, captain of India Under 19, and he was particularly severe on Craig Overton. Boosted by wides the score stood at 43 before Mayank Agarwal fell to Tom Barber but the quick scoring continued when Hanuma Vihari joined Shaw at the crease and 100 came up in the 16th over and although the two fell in quick succession Iyer, Kishan and Pandya all made rapid  contributions. Pick of the England bowlers was Middlesex man Ryan Higgins with four wickets including two in successive balls, both to catches by Bermudan born Sussex spinner Delway Rawlins, the second a particularly smart effort. The innings closed on 328 for 9, with 26 fours and 9 sixes and 9 wides.

During India's innings the crowd had grown but the sun's efforts to break through were in vain and the day remained cheerless. ECB's openers were George Hankins (Gloucestershire) and Davies who was soon out, Derbyshire's Ben Slater and Hankins batted brightly helped by some no ball problems for Prasidh Krishna which resulted in two free hits, the first too wide to reach, the second disappearing into the west stand. After Hankins went at 62 Will Jacks helped Slater keep the board moving but when they fell in close order to make it 107 for 4 a rising required rate made ECB's prospects seem fairly dim. I left when Higgins was seventh out to a direct hit by skipper Iyer and despite some late blows from Critchley, ECB fell 125 short when all out for 203. Chahar led the bowlers with 3 for 48 and he closed proceedings when he bowled Barber first ball.

During my forty minute journey home I listened to the increasingly exciting commentary on Five Live Extra from New Road as Kent closed in on Worcestershire's 306. A partnership of 115 between Huhn and Blake ended in the time it took me to get from my driveway to the living room with Blake falling to Barnard and although Huhn was out in the last over the six he had hit off the second ball left Kent needing just four off three balls and Podmore got them in one. Kent winners by two wickets and in their first Lord's final for ten years. Let's hope Yorkshire can join them today if only to prevent Sky's Charles Colvile saying that both finalists are from the stronger southern group. You may have other reasons.