England 248 (Buttler 52, Bethell 51, Jadeja 3-26) vs India
India bowled out England for 248 in the first ODI in Nagpur, instilling themselves as favourites to take a 1-0 lead in this three-match series.
What began as a watchful start on this red soil pitch was taken up a few notches by Phil Salt, who smashed Rana’s third over for 26, including three sixes. The nature of those strikes – a top-edge, a slog-sweep off a slower ball and a heave over midwicket to finish the over – along with 15 taken off Axar Patel’s opening set of six suggested Salt and Ben Duckett were now at one with the surface.
Alas, the same could not be said of their running, as their opening stand was broken on 75 by a miscommunication, as Salt was sent back attempting a third. Shyreas Iyer effected the dismissal, chasing the ball to the point boundary before throwing to the striker’s end to find Salt comfortably short of his ground.
Back came Rana with a bang, with two wickets in the following over. Duckett clothed a pull shot that required a spectacular catch from Jaiswal, running back from midwicket before a well-judged dive. Harry Brook was then taken well down the leg side by KL Rahul, who had beaten Rishabh Pant to wicketkeeping duties, after a rising length delivery caught the bottom glove.
Full report to follow
