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Umesh, Siraj shine on Day 2 of warm-up match

July 22, 2021 00:01 IST

IMAGE: The Indian players celebrate a wicket during Day 2 of the warm-up match against County Select XI in Durham on Wednesday. Photograph: BCCI/Twitter

Young opener Haseeb Hameed celebrated his Test recall with a gritty hundred but Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj's lively spell sent County Select XI packing for 220 on Day 2 of the warm-up match in Durham, on Wednesday.

 

Recalled to the England Test squad after five years, Hameed lived up to his reputation of being called 'Baby Boycs' for his dogged defensive game like former great Geoffrey Boycott with a composed innings of 112 off 246 balls, hitting 13 boundaries.

For India, Umesh was the stand-out bowler as he worked up a fair bit of pace to finish with splendid figures of 3/22 in 15 overs, while Siraj took 2/32.

Batting at No 4 Washington Sundar, who represented County Select XI, was caught by Rohit Sharma off Siraj for 1, while Avesh Khan was unable to bat because of the thumb injury, which has ruled him out of the three-day tour match.

Umesh still might not make it to the playing XI in Nottingham but his performance will certainly keep the team management interested.

IMAGE: Mohammed Siraj celebrates a wicket with his team-mates. Photograph: BCCI/Twitter

Jasprit Bumrah (1/29 in 15 overs) didn't give away loose deliveries as he claimed the wicket of Rob Yates, but he hardly troubled Hameed, who defended him comfortably most times.

It was Umesh, who first castled right-handed opener Jake Libby with an angled delivery that saw two of the three stumps knocked back.

Siraj got a nasty short ball that suddenly climbed on Washington and flew off his gloves for an easy catch in the slip cordon.

Umesh's second victim was rival captain Will Rhodes, who lost his off-stump when the fast bowler came round the wicket and the delivery straightened after pitching beating the left-hander.

With County Select XI reeling at 56/4, Lyndon James (27) gave good support to Hameed in their 75-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Hameed played the patience game as he waited for the bad deliveries, while keeping the scoreboard ticking along with singles and doubles.

Umesh's third wicket was off a short ball as James mistimed a pull shot and was caught by Shardul.

Hameed looked the best against Ravindra Jadeja (1/55 in 15 overs), who was taken for a few runs.

A single to midwicket off Shardul helped Hameed raise his hundred off 228 balls.

His innings ended when he was caught behind by wicketkeeper KL Rahul off Shardul, who took 1/31 in 14 overs.

Brief Scores:

India 1st Innings: 311.

County Select XI: 220 in 82.3 overs (Haseeb Hameed 112 off 246 balls; Umesh Yadav 3/27, Mohammed Siraj 2/32).

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