The Indian bowlers were accorded the drubbing of their cricketing life as the county side of Somerset piled on more than 300 runs on a rain-shortened day for the loss of only two wickets. The stars of the day for the first-class side were Andrew Strauss and Arul Suppiah.
The tour game, India’s only game before the start of the series against England, was being played at Taunton and saw Somerset win the toss and elect to bat first. The decision wasn’t a surprising one given that the track was expected to be a batting-paradise and the wayward Indian bowling only helped the Somerset cause.
First up it was the Middlesex-import Strauss, who deflated the Indian seam bowlers with his superb stroke-play. There were hardly any nerves in playing the Indian pacers, what with his 78 coming only 96 deliveries. Strauss hit 16 boundaries, most of them glorious shots and gave the Indians no chance till his eventual dismissal. He was dismissed with the score reading 101 (having got 78 of those runs!) to the bowling of Amit Mishra.
However, if the Indians were hoping for some kind of a respite, they were mistaken as Nick Compton strode out equally confidently to get the Somerset side another partnership. Suppiah, who had been a slow and steady partner for Strauss, assumed the mantle of the aggressor as both got to their half-centuries.
Later, Suppiah also scored his century while Compton seemed to be nearing his own 100 as the two added 223 runs for the second wicket. What made the effort more special was that the runs came off 46 overs and most of the non-regular bowlers were bludgeoned away.
The partnership was broken only when Compton had got to 88 to the bowling of Suresh Raina, but by then, the Somerset side had got 324. Suppiah had already got to his century by then and ended the day on an unbeaten 145. Somerset finished the first day at 329 for the loss of two wickets and will now look to dominate the Indian attack further on the second day. Suppiah will be eyeing a double-century, something he has never had in first class cricket.
India had rested MS Dhoni, Praveen Kumar, VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma from the side for this game.