India-A batters shine as first unofficial Test against England Lions ended in a draw

Canterbury [UK], June 2 (ANI): Nitish Reddy and Dhruv Jurel kept India A going in their second innings against England Lions in the first unofficial test match at Canterbury on Monday. The match ended in a draw.

Nitish Reddy 52 (47)and Dhruv Jurel 53 (53) remained not out on the crease as India-A finished Day four on 241/2. Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for 64 while Abhimanyu Easwaran scored 68. The duo stitched 123 runs for the opening wicket.

India-A started off their second innings after lunch as they bowled out Lions for 585-9. Jaiswal and Easwaran opened the innings for India-A. Jaiswal started India's second innings with a six on the very first ball off Josh Hull.

India hurried to 50 in the 6th as both batters counter-attacked English bowlers: Abhimanyu Easwaran (17 (12) and Yashasvi Jaiswal 35 (24). Easwaran completed his fifty in the 15th over after pushing the ball towards deep backwards point for a single off Ajeet Dale.

Jaiswal also completed his fifty in the following over, after hitting a four, towards third man off Eddie Jack. The duo brought up a 100-run partnership for the opening wicket in the same over. Rehan Ahmed removed Jaiswal in the 20th over, and Dhruv Jurel joined Easwaran in the middle.

Ahmed cleaned up Easwaran in the 28th over, Nitish Reddy got a promotion in the batting order as he joined Jurel after the fall of the second wicket.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (64 off 60 balls), Abhimanyu Easwaran (68 off 87 balls), Dhruv Jurel (53 not out), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (52 not out off 47 balls) got some runs and confidence before the second game in Northampton, starting June 6. The match was called off after India A raced to 241 for 2 in 41 overs with 25 overs remaining on the final day.

England Lions ended their first innings before lunch on day 4 on a healthy 587/10, taking a 30-run lead over India A's first innings score of 557. During India A's first innings, Karun Nair had slammed a double ton (204). (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)