India A vs England Lions Day 2 Highlights: ENG LIONS 237/2, Trails by 320 Runs Following Karun Nair’s Double Ton; Haines Scores Century

Tom Haines scored a hundred for England Lions as they reached 237 for 2 against India A on the second day of their first unofficial Test in Canterbury on May 31. This happened after the visitors made a big total of 557 thanks to Karun Nair’s brilliant double century. For India, Karun Nair, who was on 186 at the end of the first day, went on to score 204 and Dhruv Jurel added 94 runs. For England Lions, Josh Hull and Zaman Akhter took three wickets each.

Haines, who got lucky with two dropped catches, stayed not out on 103. He put together strong partnerships first with Emilio Gay, who made 46 and then with Max Holden, who was unbeaten on 64 at the end of the day. Even with their good batting, England Lions were still 320 runs behind India A at stumps.

After controlling the first day, India A started day two on 409 for 3 in front of 1,727 spectators at the Spitfire Ground. England Lions finally ended a 195-run stand when Ben McKinney took a sharp catch in the slips as Jurel edged a ball from Ajeet Singh Dale. Soon after, Eddie Jack got Nitish Kumar Reddy out for seven, caught behind. But later in the same over, Nair reached his double century by hitting Jack for a four.

Zaman Akhter finally got Karun Nair out, caught behind. He picked up his second wicket when Shardul Thakur was caught for 27, Dan Mousley took a sharp catch off a strong shot through cover. India A went to lunch at 537 for 7. After the break, Harsh Dubey was caught behind off Josh Hull for 32. But Harshit Rana hit back by smashing a six straight over Rehan Ahmed’s head.

Anshul Kamboj also hit a six but was then out lbw to the same bowler for 23. India A’s innings ended when Akhter had Harshit Rana caught behind for 16. In the sixth over of England Lions’ reply, Kamboj got a breakthrough by bowling Ben McKinney for 16. But things could have been worse for the home side Emilio Gay got a life on nine when Dhruv Jurel dropped a catch off Kamboj. In the next over, Tom Haines was also lucky as Sarfaraz Khan dropped him at second slip off Shardul Thakur when he was on 11.

Haines Anchors England’s Innings with Confident Strokeplay

The two batters who got lucky earlier took England to 75 for one at tea. Haines reached his fifty with a boundary through midwicket off Anshul. Gay was out for 46 trying to sweep Dubey the ball popped up to Sarfaraz Khan at first slip. Gay didn’t walk off right away, but the square-leg umpire gave him out. Haines got another chance on 83 when he cut Rana to point, but Abhimanyu Easwaran dropped a tough diving catch. Max Holden batted positively, hitting a six off Reddy and reaching his fifty in just 47 balls with a cut for four off Thakur. Haines later ran two off Thakur to bring up his hundred, just three overs before the end of play.

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