Match hangs in the balance as Essex batsmen up for a fight against India

With Essex trailing by 158 runs, two of India's chief weapons in Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav are yet to be unleashed.

 

Essex 237-5 (MS Pepper 68; Umesh Yadav 2-23) trail by 158 runs

 

India 395 (Dinesh Karthik 82; Paul Walter 4-113)

 

CLOSE OF PLAY: Essex 237 for 5, James Foster 23 not out, Paul Walter 22 not out. #ESSvIND
Watch live here: https://t.co/0WMzSvtsrw

— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) July 26, 2018

 

If the beginning of Day one was marked with the golden duck of Shikhar Dhawan, the first ball of Day two had Dinesh Karthik's name on it. Karthik (82*) was the highest scoring Indian batsman on Day one, albeit with a bit of uncomfort. However, Paul Walter's first ball of the day had Karthik caught by Dixon.

 

Karun Nair (4) and Hardik Pandya (51) were then dismissed in quick succession. Ravindra Jadeja (15) and Rishabh Pant (34*) then added a few more runs to take India's first innings' score close to 400. Paul Walter was the stand out bowler for Essex as he picked up four wickets.

 

Both Essex openers Varun Chopra (16) and Nick Browne (11) were wrapped on the pads by Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav respectively.

It was Captain T Westley (57) and MS Pepper (68) who gave the Indian bowling line up a few headaches by putting up a solid partnership.

 

??? Watch all the Essex wickets from the second day of the Tourist Match down below ??

?? https://t.co/CoHIdsQbAA#ESSvIND

— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) July 26, 2018

 

After their vigil, wicket-keeper James Foster (23*) and P Walter (22*) are currently at the crease with another partnership in the making.

 

At the end of Day 2, Essex are at 237-5 and trail by 158 runs with the match hanging in the balance.

 

India are playing this one differently with Ravi Jadeja being the lone spinner getting a bowl, not that he bowled brilliantly- Jadeja went for 17 in his 2 overs. Two of India's chief weapons in Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav are yet to be unleashed. This seems like a team strategy and the spinners might be seen in action on Day 3.

©Cricket World 2018