Highlights, India vs Essex, warm-up match, Day 3 in Chelmsford: Umpires signal stumps after rain interrupts play

Day 3, Stumps – India 89/2 after 21.2 Overs, lead by 125 runs; Match drawn

Yes confirmation… the game is called off… there was no point any way with Essex going through the motions… good work out for India to a great extent… a lot of questions answered in terms of batting, you would expect Dhawan is behind Rahul and Vijay now… pacers had a good running out… spinners continue to pose riddles but then that’s what they do… overall, India will be relatively happy heading into the first Test… and that’s coming quickly in five days’ time… what a cracker of a series awaits us!!

Game over… or so it seems! 

Hand shakes in the distance… on the players’ balcony… it looks like game over!

Play stopped! 

Would you believe it… its raining… and pretty hard… play stopped!!

Just waiting for it to end!

Seems like energy has gone out of this game… Essex just going through the motions.

Final session of the tour match underway! 

It’s been three overs since the final session of Day 3 began, and Rahul and Rahane have helped themselves to four boundaries already! Meanwhile, India’s lead stands at 113. 

India 77/2 after 18 overs; Rahul 24; Rahane 19

Ashwin warming up… for Edgbaston

One last session remains… Ashwin in the nets at the tea break bowling…

Tea on Day 3!

Rahul’s unbeaten at the crease alongside Rahane, as India reach 53/2 after 15 overs at the end of the second session of the final day. Rahul will want to make the most of the start that he’s got in order to send a message to the team management ahead of the Edgbaston Test.

India 53/2 after 15 overs; lead by 89 runs

Talk about spirit! 

Better than Dhawan at least

Pujara gone. Low catch but he should be happy with time spent at the wicket. Hey Atleast he scored more Dhawan…

50 up for India! 

Rahul smacks a couple of boundaries off Walter’s bowling right after Pujara’s dismissal off the first ball of the 14th over, as India reach 50 for the loss of two wickets. Meanwhile, Rahane gets off the mark with a single.

OUT! Pujara fails to convert a start

Pujara was starting to look good, having smacked five boundaries and appearing to make up for the low score in the previous innings, when Paul Walter snuffs him out in his third over, getting him caught by Chopra for 23.

Dhawan in a spot of bother

Lucky break for Rahul

Rahul dropped on 8*… at second slip… fielder juggled it thrice before putting it down…

Touch of class from Rahul! 

Brilliant pull shot from Rahul to get off the mark… took 22 balls… but what a shot! Looks a man in form… if he doesn’t open in Birmingham… well…

KL Rahul survives an lbw shout

Little appeal from Essex against Rahul… they assumed a feather touch down leg from Rahul, but it didn’t happen… umpires not convinced.

After 5 overs, India 9/1

If Pujara bats a sufficient enough time here today, you might just think that it will end the opener’s merry go around in Indian Test cricket. It has gone for so long, high time to end it and pick the best opening combination.

Disaster for Dhawan

OUT! Nothing shot from Dhawan… was confused by movement away and into him… and then gets bowled. Ducks in both innings here… has he put himself out of contention for Birmingham?

India’s 2nd innings coming shortly

Eyes on Dhawan, Pujara and Rahane now. They missed out in the first innings. Now we still have 54 overs of play scheduled before Stumps. Even if we get most of it and not all, it should provide enough opportunity for them to get some decent time out in the middle, provided they stick around. Join us for India’s second innings in a bit.

Where the spinners at?

Only 11 out of 94 overs for spinners… not sure anything can be judged from that unless India have already made up their mind.

Essex have declared 359/8

To be honest India didn’t look like getting these tailenders out. 

India will start with 36 runs in lead.

Play on Day 3 so far:

In the 35 overs of play, India have managed to pick three wickets, while Essex’s lower half have scored 117 runs. 

Essex 354/8 (93 overs)

India need 2 wickets, hosts trail by 41.

Back after Lunch!

Shami getting to use the new ball after Pandya. Ashwin is off the field. Kuldeep is there so assuming he will bowl at some point unless Essex are bowled out which should be the primary objective at the moment for India.

Some Lagaan music (of course!) after two days of garba and bhangra… and then finally a song that is currently in vogue… Kaala chasma… the remix version… who got this latest tape in Chelmsford… miracle!

Serious talk though… Bumrah bowling in the nets to Karun Nair… Rishabh Pant taking throwdowns in adjacent nets…

Lunch then and Essex are 345/8

Will they play even better hosts and declare? Or bat longer? Fine work out for India again, but they won’t be satisfied with what they have seen from their spinners so far. Intriguing setting for the remainder of the day.

Day 3, Lunch

After 86 overs, Essex 345/8, trail by 50.

India would be looking to wrap things soon in the afternoon session and would aim to get some significant time to bat.

OUT! Ishant Sharma provides a breakthrough

New ball does the trick! Rahane takes the catch at gully and Walter’s time is over. Ishant gets the wicket. Eight down now so you would think India will get to bat again today.

New ball taken

Hardik Pandya in the attack for the first time. This is interesting, not Shami, Umesh or Ishant, but the new ball has been given to Pandya. Also, Ashwin has been the best of three spinners given their short spells

End of 80 overs, Essex 321/7 

Paul Walter and Aron Nijjar have too stitched a handy partnership that is now worth 38 run for the 8th wicket. Walter is batting on 74. Nijjar into double figures. Testing times for Indian bowlers. Ashwin has bowled 4 overs, without any wickets to show to his name. The trail is now down to 74.

Essex has brought down the India’s lead under 100

Shardul replaces Umesh gets hit for four immediately. Walter continues to frustrate India lead under 100..

And he has the ball straightaway.

And there is another change in bowling. R Ashwin is in the attack now. He is bowling round the wicket, replaces Kuldeep Yadav…

Good news: Ravichandran Ashwin has taken the field.

R Ashwin is on the field now. He is fielding at extra cover.

Fifty for Walter!

He is frustrating India now, especially hitting off against the spinners as he is and he is looking more comfortable with the bat than he did with the ball. Remember, he was dropped on 29* by DK off Shami.