Gambhir stakes a claim

England’s tour match at Baroda against an Indian Board President’s XI ended its second day with the home side having declared its first innings on 342-8, with discarded international opener Gautam Gambhir making 108. Suresh Raina, a contender for a spot in the Test middle order with Yuvraj Singh out injured, also made 62, as England’s bowlers were given a stiff workout.

The day began with the President’s XI on 93-1 overnight, having lost Wasim Jaffer to the last ball of the previous day’s play. Dheeraj Jadhav joined Gambhir at the crease, and the two of them were watchful in adding 64 for the second wicket. The partnership was ended when Jadhav nicked one to Geraint Jones, giving Steve Harmison the first of his three wickets.

When Raina arrived at the crease to join Gambhir, this was the cue for the scoring rate to pick up. Gambhir unfurled several outstanding strokes, driving Hoggard imperiously and punishing loose deliveries from the spinners. Raina looked in good touch to go with it, playing one outstanding cover-drive off the bowling of Flintoff which ended with him on one knee.

When Flintoff did dismiss Gambhir, caught by Andrew Strauss with the score on 243, the damage had already been done. Gambhir had progressed to a fantastic century by slashing the otherwise impressive Monty Panesar through point for four, and the President’s XI had already overhauled England’s first innings total of 238.

Raina notched up an attractive 50 shortly afterwards, before falling to a catch from Ian Blackwell, in becoming Panesar’s only victim of the day. The rest of the innings consisted of cameos from captain Venugopal Rao, keeper Dinesh Karthik, and spinner Romesh Powar, as England took wickets at regular intervals. The innings had been a struggle for the bowlers at times, with Liam Plunkett unable to bowl because of a heel injury, although they stuck to their task admirably.

Flintoff and Harmison were the standout members of the attack, grabbing three wickets each and looking dangerous throughout. Hoggard probed but finished wicketless, while the two spinners were both economical and, at times, threatening, with both Panesar and Blackwell creating chances which were wasted by fielders.

England had enough time to begin their second innings before the close of play, with the President’s XI declaring towards the end of the evening session with a lead of 104. They also had time to lose the wicket of Andrew Strauss, caught by Raina off the bowling of first-innings destroyer Munaf Patel for only two. Matthew Hoggard joined Marcus Trescothick at the wicket as a nightwatchman, and the two of them negotiated the rest of the eight over England had been given, taking the score to 10-1 going into the final day’s play.