He dismissed both openers in quick succession to provide a perfect start to his team.
English pacer Chris Woakes showed his true worth with a sensational opening spell in the second unofficial Test between England Lions and India A. He dismissed both openers in quick succession to provide a perfect start to his team.
Woakes first dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal in the seventh over of the innings to provide the first breakthrough. It swung back into the batter from a length, and while it was probably missing the leg stump, the umpire’s decision stood final.
After a few overs, Abhimanyu Easwaran also succumbed to Woakes’ brilliance, as the bowler again hit on the batter’s pads to get him LBW. The bowler moved the ball both ways to trouble India A’s captain throughout the innings before eventually dismissing him.
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It was a perfect start for the Lions and Woakes, dismissing both openers early in the innings after opting to bowl first. Both openers, especially Easwaran, would be ruing a missed opportunity, as a good score here would have bolstered his chances of getting into the main team.
Chris Woakes couldn’t have asked for a better start to this game, for he hit his lengths straight away and moved the ball both ways. There’s always some assistance for pacers early on, especially at this time of summer, and Woakes is a master of such conditions.
This bowling performance gives a strong warning to a young Indian side, as Woakes’ bowling is tailor-made for English conditions, and he knows how to scalp wickets consistently. He also did well in the County Championship fixture last month, snaring six wickets across two innings and looks in great rhythm again.
The Indian side will be relatively young with little experience handling pace and movement, and Woakes might be their biggest threat. He has experience playing at every venue across the UK and can adapt quicker than his counterparts.
Woakes has 137 wickets at an average of 21.59 in 66 innings, including five five-wicket and a ten-wicket haul in England. If his form against India A is anything to go by, the 36-year-old should better this record in the upcoming five-match series.
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