Naidu, Ratra steady India colts

Middle order batsman Alind Naidu (83) and skipper Ajay Ratra (43) added 106 runs for the sixth wicket as the Indian under-19 team was shot out for 257 in their first innings on the opening day of the first Test against England under-19 at the Wankhede Stadium, in Bombay, on Tuesday.

The Indian boys won the toss and elected to bat first on an easy-paced wicket.

Sustained bowling spells by the three new-ball bowlers -- Justin Bishop (3 for 24), Andrew McGarry (2 for 39) and Kyle Hogg (3 for 33) -- left the hosts struggling at 102 for five, with Vinayak Mane (20), Gautam Gambir (2), Ishan Ganda (27), Gnaneshwar Rao (16) and Kashinath Khadkikar (1) all back in the pavilion.

However, Alind Naidu, from Vidarbha, and Ajay Ratra, from Haryana, put up stubborn resistance to steady the rocking boat with a century partnership before left arm spinner Monty Panesar (2 for 63) polished off the Indian innings.

Naidu, who played some wristy shots on the on-side, along with some well-timed drives through the covers, faced 143 balls in his 181-minute innings, hitting 12 sweetly timed boundaries, while Ratra played second fiddle to Naidu facing 85 balls and hitting five fours.

The Indian innings terminated after 318 minutes, off 78.5 overs. The visitors did well to score 24 without loss in the 40 minutes left till the draw of stumps.

Openers Gary Pratt, on four, and Nicky Peng, on 18, were the at the crease.

Scoreboard

India (1st innings):
V Mane c I Bell b K Hogg 20
G Gambir b J Bishop 2
I Ganda c N Peng b K Hogg 27
G Rao lbw J Bishop 16
A Naidu b Panesar 83
K Khadkikar b j Bishop 1
A Ratra c Panesar b McGarry 43
V Shivaramakrishnan c M Wallace B McGarry 18
D Chand (not out) 8 S Trivedi b M Panesar 18
N Agarwal b K Hogg 0
Extras: (6-lb, 3-w, 12-nb) 21
Total: (all out off 78.5 overs) 257
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-30, 3-64, 4-87, 5-102, 6-208, 7-229, 8-229, 9-252.
Bowling: A McGarry 14-1-39-2, J Bishop 15-5-24-3, K Hogg 11.5-3-33-3, I Pattison 12-3-50-0, R Ferley 7-1-37-0, M Panesar 16-3-63-2, I Bell 3-0-5-0.

England (1st innings):
G Pratt batting 4
N Peng batting 18
Extras: (lb 2) 2
Total: (for not loss) 24
Bowling: S Trivedi 3-0-6-0, N Agarwal 4-1-12-0, Dharmi Chand 2-0-6-0.

Mail Cricket Editor