IND U-19 vs ENG U-19, 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights: India 51/1 at Stumps on rain-hit day

Well the ground is dead silent, except for the patter of the rain on the covers on the square and the occassional squawk of a bird flying over it. It seems pretty safe to say now that not a single delivery more will be bowled today. Nothing is official of course, but this bout of rain has a sense of finality to it. 

India 51/1 

It was always expected to be that kind of a day today. Malhotra gets a move and takes India past 50 but after French bowls the last ball of the ninth over, the umpires lead the players off once again. 

Mhatre on 24 off 26, Malhotra on six off 14. 

India 51/1 

The third session has been delayed but it is nice and bright out there. The covers have been taken off and there isn't too much work that needs to be done to dry the ground. We should have a resumption soon. 

Well play is supposed to resume at 4.23pm local time, which means around 8.53pm IST. But there are big drops falling from the sky now and an extra cover has been brought on for the square. Safe to say that start of the third session will be delayed. 

The new batter Vihaan Malhotra fends off three balls from Green before the umpires lead the players off the ground. Covers come the opposite way and the rain intensifies soon enough. Yet another break. 

India 37/1 in 5.5 overs

Suryavanshi goes for one shot too many and perishes. He started the sixth over by Green with a six. Then he swings away for another one and gets caught in the deep. He falls for 20 off 13. 

India 37/1. 

Suravanshi meets the second ball of the second over, bowled by Alex Green with a wonderful lofted cover drive, that brings up the first boundary of the innings. The batsmen run two off the next ball and then a couple of textbook leaves outside off from Suryavanshi. The last ball is tonked over cover once again, this time all the way for six. 

Suryavanshi on 13 off 10, Mhatre has faced two balls for no runs. 

All right, now for the Indian repy. Vaibhav Suryavanshi has walked out with captain Ayush Mhatre. Alex French starts the English attack. 

From being 80/5 to being all out for 309. This has been quite a turnaround from England and that is largely due to some brilliant knocks from their lower-middle order, led by Ekansh Singh who is the last man to fall on 117 off 153 balls. Vihaan Malhotra the man with the final wicket. 

Pushpak with the breakthrough and Minto falls just four runs short of what would've been a well-deserved half century. That was a 100-run partnership for the eighth wicket and it has taken england over the 300-run mark. They could take much more considering hoiw Ekansh is batting at the moment. 

England 307/8

Well how about it. Pushpak's last delivery in the 73rd over is a slower one, pitched on a good length around middle and leg. Ekansh clotheslines it outta here and then is greeted by his partner. A century in 134 balls. This has been some innings. 

England 282/7 in 73 overs

This stand continues to swell and this is starting to worry the Indians now. A four off Henil Patel in the 72nd over takes Ekansh to 90 and he runs two more to finish it on 92. 

England 273/7

All right then, done with the rain and the lunch and here are the players, ready to play some cricket again. A recap of where we are standing: England are 250/7. Ekansh Singh batting on 82 off 111 in an innings that will frustrate India to no end. James Minto at the other end on 22 off 50 balls. 

Some more positive news. They are putting the bails back in their grooves. We can see one of them turning back towards where the teams are sat and giving thumbs ups with both hands. A resumption seems imminent. 

It is nice, bright and dry out there now. Driers being run over the pitch and the outfield and the ground staff is also hard at work fixing up the run-up areas. Play was to start at 1.20pm local tme, which translates to about 5.50pm IST. It looks like the rain has made sure that didn't happen. 

All right, the rain has pretty much stopped now and the covers on the square have been taken off. The pitch is still under covers though and it might take some time to get un-sogg (invented word, yes) this soggy ground. 

England are 250/7.

It is absolutely miserable out there. The rain is pelting down and the square is firmly under covers. Just to review where we are at the moment, England are 250/7. Ekansh Singh batting on 82 off 111 in an innings that will frustrate India to no end. James Minto at the other end on 22 off 50 balls. 

Another spell of rain sends the players from both sides scampering. And we'll have a further delay in the second day and a further reduction of overs. 

The 27 balls that were bowled saw five boundaries being hit before rain brought down curtains once more. This is what the ground situation looks like right now. 

After a lengthy delay due to rain, day 2 of the India vs England U19 game is finally off! And we have Aditya Rawat starting us off with a maiden over. 

There is no rain at the moment at the County Ground in Chelmsford. And finally there is some activity as well on the ground, as we're still delayed in the start of Day 2. We see the fielding team's players walk out. 

And the minimum overs available today have dropped from 104 to 88 overs. 

So the second day of the second India U19 vs England U19 Test has been delayed due to rain in Chelmsford. We see groundstaff scampering across the ground with a white sheet to cover the ground.

The action of the second day of the second India U19 vs England U19 Test is delayed, and the organisers haven't confirmed why. On the live stream, we see players practising at one end of the ground and staff members huddled around the pitch. But barring an little text message saying "ground delay" there is no official confirmation why the game is not being played even 30 minutes after the scheduled starting time on day 2.

Here we go. England resume day 2 of the game at 229/7. 

Ekansh Singh (66 runs off 98) and James Minto (18 runs off 36 balls) are in the middle. There seems to be bit of a delay in the game. The live streaming just has a message saying there is a "ground delay".  

Before the two-match Test series between India and England U19 teams, the two sides played five ODIS in England. The Indian team had emerged on top in the series, sealing it in the fourth game itself. England won the final ODI.

Then, the first Test match between the two teams ended in a draw.  

India's best performer on Day 1 were Aditya Rawat (46 for 2 off 11 overs), RS Ambrish (44 for 2 off 15 overs), and Naman Pushpak (48 for 2 off 12 overs). Henil Patel also chipped in with one wicket.

The second day's action from the County Ground in Chelmsford will be coming up shortly.

Batting first, England limped to 80/5 at one stage, before a 90-run partnership saved the hosts the blushes. But India managed to get the wicket of Thomas Rew to stem the bleeding. 

Stay tuned for updated of Day 2. 

That late stand between Ekansh and Rew, followd by Ekansh shepherding the tail, has saved the day somewhat for England but India still go into the hut with their noses in front. Minto takes a single off the fourth ball of Ambrish's over and that is all the runs that come from the last over of the day. He is on 18 off 36 balls, Ekansh on 66 off 98 balls. 

Ambrish was easily the standout among the bowlers with figures of 2/44 in 15 overs, an economy of 2.93. Aditya Rawat and Naman Pushpak also picked a couple of wickets each while Henil Patel got one. 

Ambrish is back in the attack, trying to squeeze a late wicket out. Ekansh and Minto have seen through the heat thus far. Ekansh on 66 off 96, Minto on 17 off 32. 

England 228/7 in 61 overs

It is all dots now with a few singles in between. Ekansh and James Minto have seem to have decided that they have had enough for the day, looking to survive the eight remaining overs. Ekansh is on 65 off 82, this has been a gem of an innings from him. Minto on 14 off 16. 

England 223/7 in 56 overs

Pushpak has struck and Albert falls trying to look for a boundary. There are just over 10 overs left in the day, it may have been wiser to shut shop, let Ekansh take whatever runs were on offer at the other end. 

Ekansh is batting on 63 off 76 balls, England 207/7

The batters run two off the first ball of the 47th over and that takes Ekansh to 50 in 52 balls. We are reaching the fag end of the day and England would be pretty happy if they can somehow keep India out till Stumps. 

A flying Ayush Mhatre at first slip ends Rew's knock! Naman Pushpak returns to the attack and strikes straightaway. This was pitched in line with the stumps from over the wicket, Rew comes forward for the defence and the ball seems to spin away from him just a tad bit. Outside edge and it darts past the wicketkeeper's right, Mhatre dives to his left and takes it two-handed. 

At the end of that over, England are 171/6 with Ekansh Singh on 42 off 46 balls. Ralphie Albert will be on strike to Suryavansbhi on one off two. 

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has the ball in his hands for the first time in the 39th over. Rew takes a single off the second ball of it and that takes him to 50 in 67 balls. This has been some accelaration from him and Ekansh Singh, who is on 34 off 40 at the end of that over. Rew ends it on 50 off 69. 

England 153/5 in 39 overs

Rew has upped the ante now and he is seven runs away from his half-centyry. He has got there in 55 balls. Ambrish is set to bowl his 11th over, it's been a longish spell for him either side of Tea. 

Ekansh Singh batting at the other end on 17 off 24 balls. 

Well after being hit for two fours in the previous over, Ambrish gets Mayes with the first ball of this one. He digs it in short of a length outside off, Mayes tries to punch it away but edges it to first slip. England have lost half their side inside 30 overs!

England 80/5 in 26.1 overs

Mayes with a couple of fours off the first and last balls of that over. He has moved to 31 in 37, Rew at the other end on 10 off 28 balls. Suryavanshi can be seen having a word with Ambrish at the end of that over. 

England 63/4 in 21 overs. Thomas Rew keeps out Ambrish to make sure England lose no more wickets going into the final session of the day. India will be looking to stay out there for as little  time as possible. Rew on four off 18, Ben Mayes at the other end on 22 of 23. RS Ambrish has figures of 1/11, Aditya Rawat has returned 2/34. 

Ambrish bowls the fourth ball of the 17th full and in the fifth stump line, seems to be slight movement away from Sawant who goes for a big booming drive. Thick edge and first slip takes the catch. India well on top here. 

Well we have an issue here with the landing of the bowler from one end. The groundsman with their equipment has come and is looking to sort out things, so there will be no further delays in this contest. Well, it should not take longer, but let's wait.

Sawant has looked solid for England since coming in. His technique seems to be water-tight, and also has the temperament and ability to adjust to change to the bowler. It will be interesting to see though he will shape up against the balls that nip back in slightly. 

Ambrish is the new ball who has come into the attack and seems like another lovely prospect. He is pitching hard and is also running in hard. Seems like another bowler who has promising talent for the future and he is bowling further back of the length than what Rawat and Patel were doing.

Sawant, who was looking to come on the frontfoot before since the wicket of Flintoff is now staying on the backfoot and is converting those good length deliveries into half-trackers; however, Patel from the other end, who bowls it into the batter, might need a different kind of adjustment.

For the last few minutes line from Rawat has gone too wide here. The batters on the backfoot are able to cut the ball and get the boundaries away. It might be time for the Indian captain to change the bowling spell here.

One good thing about India is that they have bowled quite well here. It is quite common to see the green wicket bowlers getting excited, but they stick to their lines and lengths, which shows great maturity and management by the coaching staff.

Well, there is the breakthrough. Flintoff was dragged forward, and Rawat, who was bowling that lovely channel, got the edge and the ball carried to slip. This is superb masterclass bowling from Rawat. This is as good as someone at senior level.

While Rawat has been pulling the batters out, Patel on the other hand, is angling the ball into the batters. For him, on the other hand the challenge will be to nip the ball away from the right-hander. Once again, the pitch has not much hence it is harder to judge all the skills of these bowlers.

This is good from Rawat, he seems to be one of those accurate bowlers in the making. However, the impressive part about him is how immaculate he is in length. He has just that nasty natural length which always keeps the batters guessing to come forward or stay on backfoot with a development on the incoming delivery. Rawat can be a lethal weapon.

Rawat has been bowling quite well here. He is dragging the batters forward with his line bowling. However, if he can develop that delivery that can move back, it will make him double lethal. He has the natural length to become a good bowler, but he needs to add a bit more pace.

Sawant too, from England, has looked good so far. He is has looked solid with his technique and is looking to play each ball on its merit. He is leaving the balls nicely and has played some crisp shots so far. India will be hoping to pitch the ball and make the batters drive more.

Rocky Flintoff has looked quite comfortable so far. With his long reach, he looked elegant with his shot making. However, a bit like Zack Crawley, he seems to have a tendency to play bowl around fourth and fifth stump channel delivery he might need to improve on.

We resume the sun is shining. We might not see as many moments as we have seen in the morning, but still, with all the rain we have had, Indian seamers might exploit the conditions better. There will be a definite seam moment, will there be a swing we have to wait and see.,

The pitch is uncovered, the sun is shining, and players are warming up. We might see some action soon, so finally some cricket on Sunday.

“I am feeling very good. This is my first Test in England and I am seeing how the game is going. I am feeling very good. We all came to watch the match. We got a lot of inspiration. Shubman Gill is a role model for us. Everyone’s dream is to play red-ball cricket for their country."

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Adam Thomas, Ben Dawkins, Aaryan Sawant, Rocky Flintoff, Ben Mayes, Thomas Rew (c & wk), Ekansh Singh, Ralphie Albert, James Minto, Alex Green, AM French

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), Rahul Kumar, Harvansh Pangalia, RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Henil Patel, Naman Pushpak, Aditya Rawat

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