Ishant Sharma emerged as India’s most pressing concern as an unheralded Derbyshire line-up made the tourists toil at the County Ground.
Wes Durston led the way with 95 from just 90 balls, one of four batsmen to pass 50 despite not having made a single first-class appearance between them in the past two months.
Durston, Billy Godleman (67 not out), young opener Ben Slater (54) and 17-year-old wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein (53 not out) have all been pressing their claims in the second team of late but made the most of their opportunity in this three-day fixture – India’s second and final warm-up match – in a stumps total of 326 for five.
Ishant, still billed as one of the linchpin pace bowlers for the five-Test series against England set to start next week, struggled conspicuously for the second match in succession.
As at Leicester last weekend, the tall seamer was susceptible to overstepping and here he was comfortably the most expensive bowler notching up eight no-balls in an initial nine-over spell that yielded 41 runs. When he returned in the evening session, his first ball was met – out of character by an otherwise largely stoic Godleman – with a dismissive pull to the midwicket boundary.
Ishant’s next delivery was another no-ball and he did nothing significant in two more overs to quell any fears about his readiness to play at Trent Bridge.
All India’s seamers were soon given plenty to think about on a benign pitch after MS Dhoni lost the toss.
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