India A bowlers got a taste of the 'Bazball' approach as England Lions, led by opener Keaton Jennings, pulverised an attack full of seasoned domestic operators to score 382 for 3 in just 82 overs on the opening day of the four-day 'unofficial Test' in Ahmedabad.
Jennings smashed 154 off 188 deliveries with 20 boundaries and two sixes while adding 157 for the opening stand with Alex Lees (73 of 91 balls) and another 127 with skipper Josh Bohanon (93 batting off 140 balls).
The left-handed Jennings, who played his last Test for England nearly five years ago, was severe on Navdeep Saini (0/72 in 14 overs), who leaked runs on both sides of the wicket to undo all the good work done by his fellow new ball bowler Vidwath Kaverappa (0/38 in 13 overs).
The third pacer and fastest of the three, Tushar Deshpande, was the most profligate as his strategy to just dig it in short flopped badly, the bowler going for 79 runs in 14 overs.
The worst part was that India A bowlers in a whole day's play bowled three maiden overs and the national selectors watching the proceedings would be disappointed that two specialist spinners -- left-arm slow bowler Manav Suthar (3/85 in 18 overs) and off-spinner Pulkit Narang (0/97 in 21 overs) -- allowed the top three to chance their arms at will.
In the 39 combined overs, the two spinners in familiar but batting-friendly conditions leaked 182 runs at 4.66 runs per over while the overall innings run-rate was a shade below at 4.65. Not being able to bowl even one maiden between them would certainly embarrass the duo.
Pacer Saini and spinner Narang have been domestic veterans and also been part of the Indian team's net bowling set-up for many years. Both haven't had great domestic success in recent years but the paucity of good second off-spinner, after Ashwin, and good red ball back-up pacers have allowed these two to continue.
With 46 boundaries and three sixes hit in 82 overs, it was clear that England senior men's team coach Brendon McCullum's attacking philosophy of taking conditions out of the equation is also being practised in the pathways national team.
Brief scores:
England Lions 382/3 in 82 overs (Keaton Jennings 154, Josh Bohanan 93 batting, Alex Lees 73, Manav Suthar 3/85).
