Haines' Ton Leads England Lions' Fightback Against India A After Nair's Double
Last Updated:
Tom Haines scored an unbeaten 103, leading England Lions' fightback to 237/2 after Karun Nair's 204 helped India A reach 557.
Sussex opener Tom Haines led a strong England Lions fightback with a composed century after Karun Nair's impressive double century propelled India A to a formidable 557 on the second day of the four-day unofficial Test on Saturday.
At stumps, the Lions were 237/2 in 52 overs, with the steady left-hander Haines anchoring the innings at an unbeaten 103 off 147 balls. They still trail India A by 320 runs.
Haines reached his 15th first-class century late in the day, achieving the milestone in 138 balls with 11 boundaries.
Following the early dismissal of Ben McKinney (16), bowled by seamer Anshul Kamboj in the sixth over, Haines, one of the most consistent and technically proficient opening batsmen in English domestic cricket, took control of the innings.
Kamboj impressed in his opening spell, swinging the ball both ways and maintaining good control.
Haines was joined by fellow left-hander Emilio Gay, and the pair stabilized the innings with a solid 109-run partnership throughout the entire second session.
Gay, who looked fluent during his stay, narrowly missed a half-century, scoring 46 off 90 balls with eight boundaries. He was dismissed by left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, who broke the threatening stand just as India A began to feel the pressure.
Max Holden then joined Haines and played with positive intent, scoring a brisk 64 off just 61 deliveries, including eight fours and a six. The duo put together a 106-run partnership, ensuring the Lions ended the day strongly.
India A skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran used six bowlers in an attempt to break the Lions' momentum, but neither Haines nor Holden gave any chances, showing both composure and attacking instinct.
Earlier in the day, Karun, making a return to the Indian Test setup after eight years, displayed his class with a sublime 204 off 281 balls, including 26 boundaries and a six, as India A resumed at the overnight score of 409/3.
Karun, who resumed at 186, reached his 200 off 272 balls with a four over covers off pacer Eddie Jack. However, India A quickly lost the overnight batter Dhruv Jurel (94) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (7). Karun and Jurel added 195 runs for the fourth wicket before Jurel's dismissal.
Karun could not continue much longer after reaching his double century, edging an incoming delivery from pacer Zaman Akhter to wicketkeeper James Rew. Following Karun's dismissal, the Lions' pacers quickly wrapped up the India A innings with regular breakthroughs.
Brief scores: India A: 557 all out in 125.1 overs (Karun Nair 204, Dhruv Jurel 94, Sarfaraz Khan 92; Josh Hull 3/72, Zaman Akhter 3/73) vs England Lions: 237/2 in 52 overs (Tom Haines 103 not out, Max Holden 64 not out, Emilio Gay 46).
First Published:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Bengaluru stampede: Times when other sporting events and celebrations turned tragic
Tragedy struck in Bengaluru as a stampede during RCB's IPL 2025 victory celebrations at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed 11 lives and injured at least 33. Here's a look at similar tragic incidents during sports events and celebrations across the world. read more Thousands of fans gathered outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to on Wednesday. This was after the RCB team landed in the city following their maiden IPL title win against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Ahmedabad. The team was felicitated by the Karnataka government at the Vidhana Soudha, after which they went to the Chinnaswamy to celebrate with fans. However, the overwhelming crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium led to a stampede , resulting in the deaths of at least 11 individuals, including a child, and injuring over 30 others. The incident has sent shockwaves across the cricket world. RCB issued its first statement following the tragic incident and expressed grief and sorrow. The Karnataka government has announced compensation for the families of the victims and urged supporters to stay safe. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Past incidents of tragic celebrations in sports Liverpool victory parade incident (2025): On 26 May, during Liverpool's Premier League victory parade, a vehicle intentionally drove into a crowd of supporters, injuring nearly 100 people, including children. The driver was arrested at the scene and faced multiple charges. Authorities later confirmed that the act was deliberate. Indonesia football match stampede (2022): In October 2022, a football match in Malang, Indonesia, ended in disaster when police used tear gas to disperse fans who had invaded the pitch. The resulting panic led to a stampede that killed at least 125 people and injured over 180, making it one of the deadliest disasters in sports. Heysel Stadium disaster (1985): In May 1985, during the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, clashes between fans led to a wall collapse, resulting in 39 deaths and over 600 injuries. The tragedy led to a five-year ban for English clubs from European competitions. Hillsborough stadium disaster (1989): On 15 April 1989, during an FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, overcrowding in the stands led to a fatal crowd crush, causing 97 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The disaster led to significant changes in stadium safety regulations in the UK. Eden Gardens disaster (1980): A stampede occurred during a football match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan at Eden Gardens, leading to the deaths of 16 fans and injuring over 100. The tragedy is remembered as 'Football Lovers' Day' and led to the suspension of the Calcutta Football League that year.
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
Kuldeep Yadav Gets Engaged To Childhood Friend Vanshika After Stellar IPL 2025 Season
In a heartwarming moment off the cricket field, Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav got engaged to his childhood friend Vanshika in an intimate ceremony held in Lucknow on June 4, 2025. The event, attended by close family and friends, including cricketers like Rinku Singh, was a celebration of love and companionship, adding a personal milestone to what has already been an eventful year for the ace spinner. Who is Vanshika? Vanshika, who hails from Shyam Nagar, is an LIC employee and has known Kuldeep since their younger days. Their quiet bond away from the public eye blossomed over the years, culminating in this joyous engagement. Photos of the ceremony quickly went viral, with fans pouring in congratulatory messages on social media. IPL 2025: A Steady Campaign for Delhi Capitals Kuldeep Yadav carried his momentum into the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League, where he played a key role for the Delhi Capitals. In 14 matches, the chinaman bowler took 15 wickets with an impressive economy rate of 7.07, underlining his ability to control the middle overs and pick up timely breakthroughs. Despite Delhi Capitals falling short in their playoff push, Kuldeep's consistent performance stood out, especially on spin-friendly tracks like Delhi and Chennai. His ability to deceive top-order batters with his variations has kept him in the frame as India's leading spin option in white-ball cricket. Upcoming Challenge: India Tour of England 2025 Kuldeep's engagement comes at a pivotal juncture in his career. With Ravichandran Ashwin retiring from international cricket, Kuldeep is now India's only specialist spinner named in the 18-member Test squad for the challenging five-match Test series in England, set to begin on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. The tour will test India's bench strength and tactical flexibility in swinging English conditions. Kuldeep, known for his ability to turn the ball even on flat surfaces, will be vital to India's attack, especially during the latter half of the matches when the pitch begins to wear. Having already played key roles in India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy victory, Kuldeep enters this series with high expectations and a leadership role within the bowling unit. A Perfect Balance: Love, Cricket, and Legacy For Kuldeep Yadav, 2025 is shaping up to be a year to remember. With a solid IPL behind him, personal happiness blooming, and a challenging tour on the horizon, the 30-year-old spinner is ready to add more milestones both personal and professional to his already impressive journey. As fans eagerly await his performance in England, they now also have a new reason to cheer for the spinner as he steps into a new phase of life with Vanshika by his side.
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan Unavailable For Second India A vs England Lions match
India's newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill will not feature in the second unofficial Test between India A and England Lions, set to begin on June 6 in Northampton. Although the BCCI had earlier announced that Gill and his Gujarat Titans opening partner B Sai Sudharsan would join the India A squad ahead of the match. However, both players will now travel directly with the senior Test squad, which arrives in England on June 6, ESPNcricinfo reported. In contrast, KL Rahul is expected to turn out for India A after linking up with the squad on Tuesday. The first Test of the five-match series between India and England is scheduled to begin on June 20 in Leeds. England Lions, who fielded a relatively inexperienced side with only six Test caps in the opening game in Canterbury, are expected to be strengthened by the inclusion of all-rounder Chris Woakes for the Northampton match. For India A, pacer Akash Deep will be available for selection. The right-arm fast bowler had been recovering from a back injury sustained after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year but was declared fit in April and subsequently played in IPL 2025 for the Lucknow Super Giants. Though he was present with the squad during the first unofficial Test, Akash mostly trained on the sidelines, bowling in brief spells during intervals across the four days. The opening match between India A and England Lions ended in a draw on a flat and slow surface in Canterbury, offering little assistance to the bowlers. Among the standout performers for India A were Karun Nair, who struck a double hundred, Dhruv Jurel with two fifties, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, all of whom contributed quick half-centuries in the second innings. All-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur, both part of India's main Test squad, bowled 14.5 and 28 overs, respectively, in the match and are expected to continue building their workloads in the second unofficial Test. After the Northampton match concludes on June 9, the Indian team will play a closed-door intra-squad fixture against India A in Beckenham. Following that, the senior Test squad will head to Leeds to prepare for the series opener.
