India 'A' beat Gloucestershire

Continuing the impressive run on the England tour, India 'A' scored a 69-run victory over Gloucestershire in a one-day match at Cheltenham on Monday.

Electing to bat, the visitors posted 262 for eight in 50 overs, with valuable contributions from almost all the middle- order batsmen. They then came up with a superb bowling performance to restrict Gloucestershire to 193 all out in 44.3 overs and remain undefeated on the tour.

For India 'A', S Sriram (50) and A T Rayudu (54) scored fine half-centuries while skipper Hemang Badani scored a brisk 48 off 52 balls and Rohan Gavaskar made 34.

The tourists also benefited from some wayward bowling by the home side bowlers, who conceded as many as 15 no balls and eight wides.

Fast bowler Irfan Pathan and spinner Murali Karthik shared the honours in the bowling department for India 'A' with three wickets apiece.

While Pathan's three wickets cost 38 runs, Karthik gave away 44 runs in 10 overs.

Avishkar Salvi, who opened the bowling with Pathan, also accounted for two scalps, giving away 20 runs.

For the home side, New Zealander Chris Harris was the lone batsman who successfully negotiated the rampaging India 'A' bowlers with a fine 65.

Harris had earlier also shone with the ball, claiming two wickets for 32 runs in his quota of 10 overs.

India 'A' will play their next match, a four-day affair, against Warwickshire at Edgbaston beginning Wednesday.

S S Parab c Taylor b Sillence 5
G Gambhir c Russell b Sillence 6
S Sriram c Shoaib Malik b Fisher 50
H Badani c Harris b Fisher 48
R Gavaskar run out 34
A Rayudu c Sillence b Harris 54
P Patel b Fisher 12
M Kartik not out 12
I Pathan c Fisher b Harris 8
L Balaji not out 9.

Extras (lb1, w8, nb15): 24

Total (8 wickets, 50 overs): 262

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-19, 3-116, 4-129, 5-188, 6-228, 7-232, 8-249.

Bowling: Bressington 7-1-42-0, Sillence 4-0-26-2, Hardinges 9-0-78-0, Shoaib Malik 10-0-38-0, Fisher 10-0-45-3, Harris 10-0-32-2.

T Hancock c Patel b Pathan 12
C Taylor c Sriram b Salvi 9
C McMillan c Patel b Balaji 18
M Alleyne c Salvi b Kartik 23
C Harris c Badani b Pathan 65
S Malik c Rayudu b Sriram 36
M Hardinges st Patel b Kartik 13
R Russell b Kartik 1
I Fisher b Pathan 0
R Sillence lbw Salvi 1
A Bressington not out 3

Extras (b1, lb5, w4, nb 2): 12

Total (all out, 44.2 overs): 193

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-21, 3-49, 4-78, 5-139, 6-186, 7-188, 8-188, 9-189, 10-193.

Bowling: Salvi 7.2-4-20-2, Pathan 9-2-38-3, Balaji 6-1-19-1, Kartik 10-0-44-3, Sriram 6-0-39-1, Gavaskar 6-0-27-0.