Ramprakash ton props up shaky England

Mark Ramprakash hit a chancy 105 to save England from batting embarrassment on the first day of a three-day tour game against an Indian Board President's XI on Thursday.

The Surrey batsman, who survived a run out and then a dropped chance before reaching fifty, hit two sixes and nine fours in 182 balls to help his side reach 297 for nine by the close.

But apart from Ramprakash, only captain Nasser Hussain, with 46, and opener Mark Butcher, with 41, got runs in the top half of the innings as England struggled against the Indian spinners.

The visitors were reduced to 187 for six soon after tea before off-spinner Sharandeep Singh finished the day with figures of five for 98 and slow left-armer Murali Kartik with three for 77.

At the close, Richard Dawson was not out nine and Matthew Hoggard yet to score.

Ramprakash was the last batsman to be dismissed, bowled by Kartik as he attempted a wild heave over mid-wicket soon after reaching his hundred.

England, though, could have found themselves in deeper trouble but for poor catching by the Indians, who dropped Butcher three times before he was dismissed for 41.

Both Butcher and Michael Vaughan, who scored 22 after failing in the opening two-day game against Bombay, struggled as they put on 51 before England went into lunch at 108 for two.

The visitors then lost three wickets for just 41 runs soon after the interval to slip to 149 for five before Ramprakash took charge.

DOUBLE STRIKE

Kartik struck twice in quick succession after lunch, removing left-hander Graham Thorpe leg before for 13 and Hussain to reduce England to a shaky 139 for four.

Hussain had hit eight fours in 86 balls before edging Kartik to Rohan Gavaskar at point trying to drive down the wicket.

All-rounder Craig White, who has been struggling with injury problems for much of the year, then fell for a duck after being clean-bowled by the off-spin of Sharandeep Singh.

Earlier, Butcher's first escape came on 18 when he edged medium pacer Sanjay Bangar into the slips, where Kartik failed to hold on to a regulation catch.

On 25 he pulled Sharandeep to deep mid-wicket but was dropped by Tinu Yohannan, and he escaped again off the very next ball when Bangar floored a return catch off his own bowling.

Vaughan was the first to depart, edging Bangar to Dinesh Mongia in the slips for 22.

Butcher recovered to combine for a half-century stand with Hussain before being dismissed for 41, including four fours and a six, as he was caught at mid-off by Surinder Singh off Sharandeep.

Hussain was in a fiery mood, hitting the Indian bowlers to all corners of the field to help England cross the 100-run mark.

England left out batsmen Marcus Trescothick and Usman Afzaal, wicketkeeper Warren Hegg and spinner Ashley Giles for this match.

Mail Cricket Editor