Yuvraj stakes claim for Test recall

Mumbai - Yuvraj Singh staked his claim for a Test call-up with a brilliant all-round performance for India A in the drawn warmup game against England XI at the Brabourne Stadium here Thursday.

Yuvraj, who struck 59 in India A’s 369 in the first innings, picked up five wickets for 94 with his left-arm spin to restrict England XI to 426. Skipper Alastair Cook (119) and Samit Patel (104) struck fine centuries as the visitors took a slender 57-run first innings lead.

England pacer James Anderson (2/20) struck twice as India A were 124 for four in the second innings when both the captain agreed to settle for a draw on the fourth day.

England started the day 83 runs short, and lost Cook early in the fifth over. But overnight batsman Patel and Matt Prior, who scored a quick-fire 51 off 52 balls, added a 65-run stand that took England two runs short of India A’s first innings score.

Yuvraj then struck twice in the same over to remove both Patel and Prior. Tim Bresnan (33) was involved in two small yet crucial partnerships with Swann (6) and Anderson (19) to take the score past 400.

Yuvraj completed his five-wicket haul by picking up Anderson’s wicket that also folded the innings as injured Steve Finn didn’t come out to bat since he has already been ruled out with an injury.

In reply, India A top order struggled against the English pacers, who got three of the four wicket that fell.

Abhinav Mukund, who struck a half-century in the first innings, departed in the third over while Murali Vijay (33) failed to convert the good start. Ajinkya Rahane scored an impressive 54 while Yuvraj made just 14.

India A skipper Suresh Raina was batting on 19 and Manoj Tiwary at two when the two captains settled for a draw.