JAIPUR (India), March 25: Four England batsmen were run out during a five-run defeat on Saturday, in a warm-up match for next week’s one-day series against India. The tourists, chasing 261 for victory, were 255 all out with a ball to spare. Several of their key players were rested.
India batsman Mohammad Kaif top-scored with 119 not out to guide Rajasthan Cricket Association President’s XI to 260 for six after being asked to bat first.
Kaif struck 11 fours and two sixes facing 136 balls after adding 72 runs for the third wicket with Suresh Raina (49) to revive the innings from 28 for two.
All-rounder Paul Collingwood removed Raina to finish with two for 28.
England’s last-wicket pair needed to score six off two deliveries when last man James Anderson was run out attempting a single.
Ian Bell hit 71 and opener Matt Prior 55, but the well-set Kevin Pietersen (28), Paul Collingwood (34) and Ian Blackwell (23) were all run out after coming under pressure from spinners Ramesh Powar and Piyush Chawla on a slow pitch.
Tail-ender Kabir Ali lashed 25 not out off 17 balls with two sixes to keep the visitors in contention until the end.
England used eight bowlers in their only practice game ahead of the opening One-day International in New Delhi on Tuesday.
“We made a few mistakes and hopefully we can rectify them before the series,” said captain Vikram Solanki, deputising for Andrew Flintoff, who has returned home to see his newborn son.
England drew the three-Test series 1-1.
Scoreboard
RCA PRESIDENT’S XI:
G. Gambhir c Prior b Anderson 5
J.N. Shah c Batty b Mahmood 10
S.K. Raina c Shah b Collingwood 49
Mohammad Kaif not out 119
Y. Venugopal Rao b Collingwood 14
A. Jadeja c Pietersen b Blackwell 18
P.A. Patel c Bell b Kabir Ali 25
R.R. Powar not out 5
EXTRAS (LB-8, W-5, NB-2) 15
TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 260
FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-28, 3-100, 4-120, 5-166, 6-227.
DID NOT BAT: Piyush Chawla, R.P. Singh, V.R. Singh, S. Gill.
BOWLING: Anderson 9-0-57-1 (1nb, 2w); Mahmood 3-0-13-1; Kabir Ali 7-1-45-1 (1w); Plunkett 6-1-33-0; Collingwood 7-0-28-2 (1w); Blackwell 10-0-33-1; Batty 6-0-30-0; Bell 2-0-13-0 (1nb).
ENGLAND:
V.S. Solanki c Raina b V.R. Singh 0
M.J. Prior c R.P. Singh b Powar 55
O.A. Shah c Patel b R.P. Singh 2
K.P. Pietersen run out 28
I.R. Bell c Kaif b Raina 71
P.D. Collingwood run out 34
I.D. Blackwell run out 23
Kabir Ali not out 25
L.E. Plunkett c R.P. Singh b Rao 1
G.J. Batty c R.P. Singh b Chawla 2
J.M. Anderson run out 4
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-5, NB-4) 10
TOTAL (all out, 49.5 overs) 255
FALL OF WKTS: 1-10, 2-19, 3-88, 4-97, 5-163, 6-215, 7-229, 8-230, 9-244.
DID NOT BAT: S.I. Mahmood.
BOWLING: V.R. Singh 5-0-33-1 (3nb, 1w); R.P. Singh 7-0-48-1 (2w); Gill 6-0-33-0 (1w); Powar 10-0-35-1 (2nb, 1w); Chawla 10-2-49-1; Venugopal Rao 5.5-0-31-1; Raina 6-0-28-1.
UMPIRES: S.L. Shastri and R. Subramanian.
TV UMPIRE: Jasbir Singh.
NOTE: 12 players per side (11 bat, 11 field).—Agencies