India A vs England Lions, Live Cricket Score: England Lions resume their first innings from 237/2 with Tom Haines looking to add to his unbeaten 103, but still trail India A by 320 runs at the start of the third day of the first unofficial Test.
Tom Haines had led England Lions to a spirited reply with a composed century after Karun Nair’s masterful double hundred propelled India A to a massive 557 on day 2. Haines, known for his consistency and technical prowess in English domestic cricket, took charge after the early loss of Ben McKinney (16) to Anshul Kamboj’s impressive swing and control.
Haines was joined by Emilio Gay, and together they steadied the innings with a solid 109-run partnership. Gay, who looked fluent, narrowly missed a half-century, falling for 46 after facing 90 balls and striking eight fours. He was dismissed by Harsh Dubey, breaking the stand just as India A felt the pressure.
Max Holden then joined Haines and played positively, scoring a brisk 64 off 61 deliveries, peppered with eight fours and a six. The duo stitched together a 106-run partnership, ensuring the Lions finished strongly.
India A skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran used multiple bowlers to disrupt the Lions’ momentum, but Haines and Holden remained composed and attacking.
Earlier, Karun Nair, returning to the Indian Test setup after eight years, showcased his class with a sublime 204 off 281 balls, including 26 boundaries and a six, after India A resumed at the overnight score of 409/3. Karun, who resumed from an overnight 186, reached his 200 off 272 balls with a four over covers off pacer Eddie Jack.
However, India A lost two quick wickets of overnight batters Dhruv Jurel (94) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (7). Karun and Jurel had added 195 runs for the fourth wicket before Jurel’s dismissal. Karun was eventually dismissed after edging an incoming delivery from pacer Zaman Akhter to wicketkeeper James Rew. The Lions’ pacers then went through the rest of the India A line-up with regular blows.
