Lions roar back with Bresnan

With 1,454 runs scored and only 20 wickets taken when the game between Essex and Nottinghamshire concluded on Wednesday, there was a degree of expectation surrounding this tour match, as to who would make the most of what was expected to be another batters paradise.

England Lions opener Joe Denly displayed the kind of positive strokeplay that one would associate with such a good track, that recently saw four centuries and two double centuries in the aforementioned game. However, it was all-rounder Tim Bresnan that was to star with the bat for the home side later in the day when he exhibited some solid hitting in a 129 run partnership for the eighth wicket with Stuart Broad, who scored his maiden first-class fifty.

England’s second string were in trouble of achieving a well below par total when Bresnan came in, but instead he plundered a tremendous century. Often underrated as simply a big hitter down the order, Bresnan validated the subtler side to his game, with a sensibly controlled yet positive innings, to finish the day unbeaten on 116.

India fought back admirably after England’s bright and breezy start, and picked up wickets consistently throughout the afternoon session, to wrestle the initiative from the batting side, that was until Bresnan and Broad gave England a competitive first innings total.

With Rahul Dravid sitting this game out as a precaution, Sachin Tendulkar took charge of the side, and his first job was to lose the toss to opposing captain Andrew Strauss, who elected to make first use of this batting track.

Strauss himself, in desperate need of a big score ahead of the First Test next week, will then have been disappointed to be defeated by Zaheer Khan, who pitched the ball up and angled it into the skipper’s off stump, and sent it cartwheeling towards Mahendra Dhoni, for 1.

Owais Shah will have been in confident mood following the ODI’s, where he was one of very few successes on the England side. He struck two fours in his first five balls, then he got suckered into attempting a hook off Sree Sreesanth, which he top edged down to fine leg for Zaheer to take the catch.

Meanwhile Denly was simply out there enjoying himself, punishing anything over pitched with an array of sumptuous front foot drives. In one Zaheer over, he stroked the experienced seamer for five fours, three through the off side, and two on the leg side.

Denly has made quite an impression on the County scene so far this season, he has waited in the wings for his chance to prove his capabilities at Kent, and this was reward for his excellent start. He currently averages in excess of 50 in his 20 first-class innings.

Jon Trott and the Kent opener then put together a partnership of 80 in only 18 overs, as the run rate continued to increase.

Trott, understandably looked a little flustered on his only England showings so far, against the West Indies in Twenty20 (a form of cricket which is too crude to judge a player). Here he was much more settled, given time to play himself in before imposing his style, looking particularly strong through the on side.

At lunch the Lions had scored at 5.12 runs per over, in reaching their score of 128-2, and India’s bowling had been inconsistent.

Ramesh Powar had managed one over just before lunch, and he continued on resumption. It was the off spinner who managed to remove Denly, as he skipped down the pitch and was slightly deceived by Powar’s flight, and failed to get to the pitch of the delivery, gifting a comfortable stumping to Dhoni.

It sparked somewhat of a mini collapse for England Lions, wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose’s stay at the crease was brief, when Zaheer Khan returned for his third spell. Firstly Trott drove at a wide one, enabling Sourav Ganguly to pocket a catch at first slip, then Ambrose drove at a full pitched ball to deflect it into the hands of Dhoni. Disappointing for the Warwickshire keeper, who is in fantastic form this season, averaging 72.42 in the County Championship.

Adil Rashid was next in, and clever bowling again from Powar forced Rashid to drive too early at a well flighted delivery giving the bowler a return catch.

So at 185-6, India were in control, yet what has blighted them in the past has been their inability to see of the tail, and the Lions still had Ravi Bopara in. He was continually assessing the situation, remaining patient for his chance to hit boundaries.

One can only suspect his concentration had dwindled when Tendulkar brought himself on for the last over before tea. Bopara flicked the ball into the grasp of Dinesh Karthik, who held a sharp chance.

Tim Bresnan was progressing nicely, he hit the only six of the day lofting Powar over deep mid wicket, and was 25 not out at tea.

It is evident that India’s attack lacks a bowler with real penetrative pace, that a Brett Lee or a Lasith Malinga possess, and it showed in the evening session. Ishant Sharma had struggled with no-balls throughout the day, breaching the front line on no less than 15 occasions, testament perhaps to the nerves of the 18 year old. Zaheer was struggling with his line, and Sreesanth, though he did beat the bat (Denly’s in particular) on occasions earlier in the day , will be looking to improve when Test cricket comes around.

Bresnan’s free scoring continued, with able assistance from Stuart Broad, who proved that he is not only a more than useful seam bowler, but he has acquired some of his dad’s qualities with the bat, that he had so far not managed to demonstrate to such effect.

Bresnan, had only one first-class century to his name before this game, and claimed his hundred with a four flicked elegantly through mid wicket, England had now regained some control of this game.

As we entered the final 5 overs of the day, the Lions could not quite manage to see the evening session out without losing a wicket. Sreesanth was rewarded for his effort with his second wicket of the day, when Broad drove aerially to Yuvraj at point, who made no mistake.

Tremlett assisted Bresnan in seeing it through to the close. England had recovered from a precarious position to be healthily placed at 379-8.

England Lions 379-8 off 90 overs
Bresnan 116*, Denly 83, Broad 50, Trott 46, Zaheer 3-99.