Fisher price at New Road as Yorkshire bowler impresses for England Lions

Matthew Fisher who was rewarded for a testing initial six-over spell which brought him the wickets of Mayank Agarwal and India A skipper Karun Nair on a day of contrasting fortunes to Monday

^{Matthew Fisher claimed two key India A wickets}

Worcester (second day of four): England Lions 423, India A 144-4 - India A trail by 279 runs with six first-innings wickets remaining

Chris Woakes made an encouraging return to first-class action but it was Matthew Fisher who impressed most with the ball for England Lions against India A on the second day of the four-day encounter at Blackfinch New Road.

Warwickshire allrounder Woakes suffered quad and knee injuries during the second Test against Pakistan at Headingley in early June.

He made a 2nd XI comeback for his county last week but this was Woakes’ first major opportunity to prove his fitness ahead of the forthcoming Test series with India.

The 29-year-old was the fifth bowler used and sent down seven successive overs at a lively pace for a cost of 16 runs and with no apparent ill effects.

However, it was Fisher who was rewarded for a testing initial six-over spell which brought him the wickets of Mayank Agarwal and India A skipper Karun Nair on a day of contrasting fortunes to Monday.

^{Chris Woakes had a run-out with the ball}

The Lions had resumed on 310 for two but, under cloudier skies, batting was a different and more challenging proposition today and their last eight wickets went down for 113 in 40.5 overs.

Then only Prithvi Shaw went past the half century mark for the tourists who closed on 144 for four.

Alastair Cook had advanced from his overnight 154 to 180 when he was bowled via the inside edge by Ankit Rajpoot.

The England opener was clearly furious with himself having had his fine knock brought to an end but had no need to chastise himself after hitting 26 boundaries in his 268 ball knock and looking in fine fettle for the Test battles ahead with India.

The bulk of the damage was done by paceman Mohammed Siraj who had gone wicketless in 14 overs yesterday but had figures today of 15-5-28-4.

Dawid Malan, released from the ODI squad to get in some red ball practice in the middle before the first Test, achieved that objective but after resuming on 59 added only 15 more before he played onto Siraj.

It opened the door for Siraj as Sam Curran (12) drove loosely and was caught behind, Woakes (15) shouldered arms and lost his middle stump and Dominic Bess (13) went for a back foot drive and nicked to first slip.

Spinner Shahbaz Nadeem cleaned up the other three wickets, trapping keeper Ollie Pope (8) leg before and accounting for tail-enders Fisher (6) and Jamie Porter (0).

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It meant the Lions had lost eight wickets for 113 runs in 40.5 overs – and the same procession of batsmen continued when India A began their reply.

There was the encouraging sight of spinner Jack Leach beating the outside edge of Indian opener Prithvi Shaw three times in his solitary over before tea.

Leach – like Woakes - is looking to re-establish his Test credentials after lay-offs with a broken thumb and then concussion.

Jamie Porter settled into a good rhythm after the interval and was rewarded when he had Murali Vijay (8) – one of four Test players in the India A side – leg before.

Fisher then entered the fray and showed good pace and excellent control from the Diglis End of the ground.

Agarwal drove at the Yorkshire paceman before he had scored and keeper Pope snaffled the chance away to his right.

Fisher enjoyed another breakthrough in his next over as Nair (4) turned the ball loosely into the hands of Curran at mid wicket.

Shaw looked compact and organised but after making 62 from 82 balls was snapped up by Malan at second slip against Curran bowling around the wicket.

Report courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network