India vs WICB President's XI 2nd Warm-Up Match Day 3 Live Cricket Score and commentary; Watch Practice match live streaming online here
MATCH DRAWN: WICB 223-6 & 180. INDIA 364.
The players are shaking hands in the middle, and the match has been declared drawn. Kohli managed to make all his available bowlers have a go at the batsmen, even giving part time bowlers an opportunity to roll their arms. The batsmen got crucial time in the middle, and got a feel of the surface. The spin trio of Ashwin, Jadeja and Mishra bowled in the right areas, and were well supported by the medium pace of Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur.
84 overs: WICB 223-6, Hamilton 6, Hodge 39
Spin has been done away with, and Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur are operating from either end. Thakur has taken a cue from Shami, and is testing the batsmen with some short-pitched stuff. A short cover is in place.
WICB 213-6, Cornwall 21, Hodge 26
After a number of overs from part-timers Pujara and Vijay, Kohli reverted to Mohammed Shami. He obliged straight away, accounting for the wicket of Cornwall on 21.
And, there is some more part-time spin coming up. Cheteshwar Pujara is bowling from the other end. Pujara and Vijay holding up ends, surprisingly with the ball this time.
The players are back after the short break, and Murali Vijay will continue with his off spin.
TEA: 73 overs – WICB 175-5, Cornwall 0, Hodge 18
And, the second session end, with India five more wickets to get a win before the Test series begins.
70 overs – WICB 174-5, Cornwall 0, Hodge 17
OUT! Ashwin comes around the wicket, and tastes success straight away. The ball pitches on middle and off, and slithers through to the stumps. Blackwood departs afer a long vigil, and the game is suddenly breathing life again. Cornwall is the new batsman in.
68 overs – WICB 163-4, Blackwood 40, Hodge 17
Unless the bowlers eke out a wicket or two, the match is on its way for a tame draw. It has served its purpose though, giving both the Indian batsmen and bowlers ample match practice before the actual Test. Thakur has been bowling in more or less the same channel, and Ashwin hasn’t wavered from his middle and off stump line.
64 overs – WICB 157-4, Blackwood 38, Hodge 13
Hodge has carried on from where Singh left, unruffled by the insipid offerings of the India bowlers. Ashwin has been bowling on the same spot ball after ball, on the channel on middle and off stump. After an unsuccessful spell, Binny has been replaced by Shardul Thakur, who is continuing with his good length deliveries on the off stump.
60 overs – WICB 141-4, Blackwood 27, Hodge 8
Binny is keeping the batsmen rooted to the crease by bringing the keeper up to the stumps. Now bowling straighter and fuller, his deliveries are much closer to the stumps. The first slip is way back in his position, and a short cover is keeping vigil as well. Ashwin is bowling his loopy deliveries from the other end, with a forward short leg and a leg slip giving company to the keeper.
58 overs – WICB 137-4, Blackwood 27, Hodge 4
DRINKS are on the field.
OUT! It took a run-out to end the fledging partnership, as Dhawan's throw accounts for the dangerous looking Singh. Motcin Hodge is the new man in.
56 overs – WICB 132-3, Blackwood 26, Singh 39
Binny is back to bowling short of length again, the sort of deliveries that won't push the batsmen on the front foot. The duo has been successfully diffusing any attempts to jeopardise the partnership. The left-handed Singh has been the more aggressive of the two, targeting any loose deliveries that the spinners are offering.
53 overs, WICB 128-3, Blackwood 26, Singh 35
The part-time spin is being persisted with, but there is nothing to thwart the concentration of this duo. Binny has started to bowl fuller now, and a short-cover fielder has been installed to gobble a stray aerial shot in the covers. However, these two have dug in to direct this match towards a draw. A wicket or two can still peg things back for India.
50 overs – WICB 128-3, Blackwood 26, Singh 35
Binny’s over was a slideshow of back of a length deliveries outside the off stump. As if the frontline spinners weren't enough, Murali Vijay has been introduced into the attack to give India a long-awaited wicket.
There is a good amount of breeze blowing across the ground, and one can see floppy hats flying off the fielders' heads now and then.
Stuart Binny will replace Amit Mishra from the other end.
48 overs – WICB 127-3, Blackwood 25, Singh 35
Mishra's leg spin has managed to extract grip off the surface, but success manages to elude him. Jadeja hasn’t varied his bowling one bit, continuing with fastish deliveries around the middle and off stump. The odd short ball was gleefully pulled away to the boundary by Vishaul Singh.
46 overs – WICB 120-3, Blackwood 23, Singh 30
The combination of Blackwood and Singh has managed to keep the Indian spinners at bay. Amit Mishra started off with a few beauties, but followed them up with a long-hop. Ravindra Jadeja is back to bowling his flat, darting deliveries. He was targetted in his second over of this session, getting hit for two huge strikes to the mid wicket fence.
The players are back in the middle post-lunch. Amit Mishra will start off the proceedings.