India’s pace attack finally came good as all those who bowled got a wicket before spinners Karn Sharma (three for 14) and R. Ashwin (one for 16) wrapped up a 95-run win in the 50-over warm-up game against an inexperienced Middlesex side at Lord’s on Friday.
Asked to take first strike, the Indian batsmen faltered once again despite half-centuries from the under-fire Virat Kohli and Ambati Rayudu, and finished at 230 in 44.2 overs.
The Indians lost their openers early, with Shikhar Dhawan (10) and Rohit Sharma (8) falling to new-ball bowlers Gurjit Sandhu and Steven Finn.
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Ajinkya Rahane (14), too, could not last long, getting out to medium-pacer James Harris. Kohli, captaining the side, was in fine touch and along with Rayudu (72 retired out) stitched together a fourth-wicket 104-run partnership to put the innings back on track.
The Middlesex spinners then took over. Left-armer Ravi Patel (two for 56) sent back Kohli (71) in the 30th over and Ravindra Jadeja (7) in the 34th.
Offie Olliver Rayner (four for 32) claimed four wickets — Ravichandran Ashwin (18), Sanju Samson (6), Stuart Binny (0) and Suresh Raina (5), who came in at No. 11 — as Middlesex restricted the Indians to 230. However, its batsmen couldn’t fire and surrendered meekly.
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In the only practice game ahead of the five-match ODI series starting on Monday, the Indians were allowed to field their 17 players while the David Malan-led Middlesex fielded 13.
Brief scores: Indians 230 in 44.2 overs (Virat Kohli 70, Ambati Rayudu 72, Olliver Rayner four for 32) bt Middlesex 135 in 39.5 overs (Karn Sharma three for 14).