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ENGLAND fast bowler Stuart Broad has suffered a bruised left heel and his progress will be observed over the next couple of days
The 26-year-old, leading the tourists in the second warm-up game against Mumbai A in place of the rested Alastair Cook, felt discomfort in his left ankle on Sunday and did not bowl on the final day. “Scans show Broad has a bruised left heel. He is fit to field but won’t bowl today (Monday),” a text message from the ECB said.
“Progress will be monitored over next couple of days.”
The match ended drawn as the tourists picked up the final six home wickets for 64 runs before reaching 149 for two in their second innings with Nick Compton unbeaten on 64.
After their respective first-innings failures to convince at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, the two contenders for the vacant opening spot batted again.
Joe Root survived Compton when they respectively scored 28 and nought two days ago; this time, it was the other way around.
It was therefore all about preparations for next week’s first Test against India in Ahmedabad, and top of England’s list was a telling indication as to the identity of the man to replace the retired Andrew Strauss at the top of the order.
In 20 minutes of batting before lunch, and another 35 afterwards, Root outscored Compton on his way to 24.
But the introduction of first-change Shardul Thakur proved his undoing, the young Yorkshireman falling to the final ball of the seamer’s first over when he played no shot at an inswinger and was lbw.
With him gone, however, it was hard to tell whether Compton was batting himself into a Test debut or out of one as he crawled to 64 from 162 balls.
His mitigation was the need to eliminate risk with stakes so high after his previous two innings on tour had accrued just a single.
Compton, the grandson of former England batting great Denis Compton, was relieved to get back into form with the bat.
“As a squad everyone is trying to vie for that place and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have an eye on that opening spot and take a bit of confidence from getting the nod in the first game,” the 29-year-old said.
“So obviously that probably was pretty disappointing not to have taken that initial chance.
“This innings was just nice to kick on and probably get a score that I did desperately need.
“For me it was just very important to get back into that mindset of scoring runs, spending time in the middle. Today I just felt that my balance was lot better, my leaving was lot more assured and I played the balls I had to.”
Compton added that spending time in the middle was the key to batting well in India.
“I thought Joe played well in the first innings, looked good and batted for a good period of time,” the South Africa-born right-handed batsman said of his 21-year-old rival.
“It’s not been the ideal start I must be honest but I think sometimes you just got to give yourselves a bit of time. It does take time, it’s a new country, a new place to play with a new bunch of team-mates.
“I think to me the most important thing is to spend some time out in the middle and get used to the conditions.”
England will play their final warm-up match from Thursday against Haryana before the four-Test series against India starts in Ahmedabad on November 15. (PA Sport)
The 26-year-old, leading the tourists in the second warm-up game against Mumbai A in place of the rested Alastair Cook, felt discomfort in his left ankle on Sunday and did not bowl on the final day. “Scans show Broad has a bruised left heel. He is fit to field but won’t bowl today (Monday),” a text message from the ECB said.
“Progress will be monitored over next couple of days.”
The match ended drawn as the tourists picked up the final six home wickets for 64 runs before reaching 149 for two in their second innings with Nick Compton unbeaten on 64.
After their respective first-innings failures to convince at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, the two contenders for the vacant opening spot batted again.
Joe Root survived Compton when they respectively scored 28 and nought two days ago; this time, it was the other way around.
It was therefore all about preparations for next week’s first Test against India in Ahmedabad, and top of England’s list was a telling indication as to the identity of the man to replace the retired Andrew Strauss at the top of the order.
In 20 minutes of batting before lunch, and another 35 afterwards, Root outscored Compton on his way to 24.
But the introduction of first-change Shardul Thakur proved his undoing, the young Yorkshireman falling to the final ball of the seamer’s first over when he played no shot at an inswinger and was lbw.
With him gone, however, it was hard to tell whether Compton was batting himself into a Test debut or out of one as he crawled to 64 from 162 balls.
His mitigation was the need to eliminate risk with stakes so high after his previous two innings on tour had accrued just a single.
Compton, the grandson of former England batting great Denis Compton, was relieved to get back into form with the bat.
“As a squad everyone is trying to vie for that place and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have an eye on that opening spot and take a bit of confidence from getting the nod in the first game,” the 29-year-old said.
“So obviously that probably was pretty disappointing not to have taken that initial chance.
“This innings was just nice to kick on and probably get a score that I did desperately need.
“For me it was just very important to get back into that mindset of scoring runs, spending time in the middle. Today I just felt that my balance was lot better, my leaving was lot more assured and I played the balls I had to.”
Compton added that spending time in the middle was the key to batting well in India.
“I thought Joe played well in the first innings, looked good and batted for a good period of time,” the South Africa-born right-handed batsman said of his 21-year-old rival.
“It’s not been the ideal start I must be honest but I think sometimes you just got to give yourselves a bit of time. It does take time, it’s a new country, a new place to play with a new bunch of team-mates.
“I think to me the most important thing is to spend some time out in the middle and get used to the conditions.”
England will play their final warm-up match from Thursday against Haryana before the four-Test series against India starts in Ahmedabad on November 15. (PA Sport)
