Northampton [UK], June 7 : England Lions ended Day 2 of the second unofficial Test against India A at 192/3 in Northampton, trailing by 156 runs. The day's play was called off early due to bad light, with two more days of action remaining.
In response to India A's first-innings total of 348, the Lions began steadily after losing Ben McKinney (12) and built momentum through a solid 94-run partnership between Tom Haines and Emilio Gay. Haines anchored the innings with a composed 54 off 88 balls, striking nine boundaries, while Gay impressed with a fluent 71 off 117 deliveries, which included seven fours.
The breakthrough for India A came through Tushar Deshpande, who ended their partnership by dismissing Haines. However, Deshpande was on the expensive side, finishing the day with figures of 1/44 in eight overs.
The Lions continued to score at a healthy rate, reaching the 150-run mark in just 34.4 overs, showcasing their intent to keep the scoreboard moving.
The third wicket of the day fell just before stumps when Emilio Gay was trapped leg-before by off-spinner Tanush Kotian, giving India A a much-needed breakthrough late in the day.
At the close of play, Jordan Cox remained unbeaten on 31, while skipper James Rew was yet to get off the mark. With a solid foundation laid, the Lions will look to narrow the deficit further when play resumes on Day 3.
On Day 1, KL Rahul roared back to his rich vein of form as he blazed his way to a sizzling century for India on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against England Lions on Friday.
After the first unofficial Test, India A tinkered with its playing XI. Rahul opened alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, with captain Abhimanyu Easwaran dropping to the third spot in the batting order. Wickets kept tumbling at the other end with Jaiswal (17) and Easwaran (11) returning cheaply, courtesy of Chris Woakes, but Rahul remained firm on the other side.
Rahul's rollicking display was a blend of aggression and caution. He accelerated in patches but relied on his defensive prowess for most of his stay. He had to wait till the 56th over to arrive at the landmark moment.
The swashbuckler found the boundary rope to move to 99, sprinted for a single, and celebrated his special milestone by raising his bat in 151 deliveries. Rahul's exquisite touch serves as a major boost ahead of the five high-stakes Tests against England, beginning on June 20 at Headingley. He scored 116 off 168 balls, lacing with fifteen boundaries and a maximum.
Brief Scores: India A 348 (KL Rahul 116, Dhruv Jurel 52; Chris Woakes 3/60) vs England Lions 192/3 (Emilio Gay 71, Tom Haines 54; Tanush Kotian 1/21)