Indian Bowlers Failed to impress on First day-First day report of practice match against Somerset
Tea Somerset 241 for 1 (Suppiah 92*, Strauss 78, Compton 58*) v India

Andrew Strauss warmed up for next week's first Test by taking the early honours at the start of his head-to-head with Zaheer Khan as India were made to toil at Taunton. He made a commanding 78, before falling to Amit Mishra shortly before lunch on the opening day of his guest appearance for Somerset. Strauss and Arul Suppiah added 101 for the first wicket before Suppiah, who moved to 92, and Nick Compton put on an unbeaten 140 on an afternoon interrupted by rain.
Strauss struck 11 boundaries in bringing up his half century from a sprightly 63 balls. All his shots were in good working order as he drove, pulled and glanced his way into form ahead of Lord's next week. He did have a couple of close shaves; firstly on 20 when Zaheer had a big lbw shout turned down by Graham Lloyd and then on 64 when Wriddhiman Saha, the reserve wicketkeeper playing in place of the rested MS Dhoni, dropped an edge off Mishra. However, the keeper took the next chance when an edge bobbled off the pad and looped in the air.
The battle with Zaheer was a gentle precursor of what will follow in the Tests as the bowler eased himself back into action after a lengthy lay-off following the IPL. The initial overs of Zaheer's first spell were friendly, but he started to generate a touch more pace and find some swing later in an eight-over burst.
Zaheer is the only one of this India attack certain to play at Lord's next week with Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar rested following their workload in the Caribbean. It meant a chance for Sreesanth and Munaf Patel to stake a claim for the third seamer's slot, although neither made a compelling case.
Sreesanth was tight to begin with but Strauss started to take to him with three boundaries in an over as he moved to his half-century. Patel, meanwhile, bowled spells from both ends and while he was steady, he didn't provide much threat. Mishra began with three no-balls in his first three overs and Strauss picked off the legspinner with ease, pulling him over midwicket and driving through the off side, before the bowler struck back.

While Strauss's runs will be welcome, he'll know that they don't guarantee a successful start to the Tests. Ahead of the Sri Lanka series he scored two hundreds - one of them against the visitors at Uxbridge - but then struggled to convert that when the internationals began and ended with 27 runs from four innings.
With the focus understandably on Strauss, Suppiah was a quiet partner in every sense at the other end. He didn't register a boundary until the start of the second hour when he played a lovely straight drive, but a sign of the gentle nature of the surface was that he, too, didn't have many alarms.
Rain brought a lengthy stoppage shortly after lunch but when the skies cleared Suppiah and Compton made positive progress as India found wickets elusive. Suppiah became increasingly positive and went to his fifty from 122 balls, but India missed a chance to break the partnership when Compton, on 24, was dropped at square by Sachin Tendulkar as he pulled Sreesanth.
Compton cashed in on his chance with a series of well-timed boundaries, one of which was a stand-and-deliver cover drive off Zaheer who was the pick of a disappointing seam attack, as he reached a half century from 74 deliveries. Neither Patel or Sreesanth suggested they provide a serious challenge to Kumar for a position at Lord's. Mishra was taken at more than four-an-over and also dropped a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Suppiah which forced him to leave the field mid-over for treatment on his finger.



