• Mumbai A v England XI, Mumbai, 1st day

Bairstow ton rescues England

Jonny Bairstow's century helped revive England © Getty Images

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England XI 338 for 5 (Bairstow 118, Morgan 76, Patel 59*) v Mumbai A
Scorecard

Jonny Bairstow made his first century in England colours to dig his side out of trouble on the opening day of England's second tour match of India. Again there were failures at the top of the order which left Bairstow, and Eoin Morgan, to stage a fightback.

Alastair Cook has said England are flexible about selection - particularly for the second Test where England are light of another batsman as Ian Bell flies home for the birth of his first child - and this innings from Bairstow will put him in the selectors thoughts. He shared a partnership of 156 with Morgan and another century stand with Samit Patel as England worked back into a position of strength having won the toss.

Bairstow was out shortly before the close but he provided the long innings England needed. Cook was the man to guide the order in the opening tour match but, with the captain rested and his replacements failing, it was left to Bairstow and Morgan to put together a partnership.

England had slipped to 66 for 4. Nick Compton survived seven balls longer than his first outing against India A, and managed to get off the mark - albeit with a dive, before having his off stump knocked back by a Kshemal Waingankar delivery that held its line. Any claim that Compton had on the openers spot for the first Test has now been eroded away.

His failure gave Joe Root the chance to become the more successful of England's newcomers, which he managed, but only by a small margin. He batted carefully, taking an hour to register his first boundary, and nearly battled through the session. But he fell caught at short leg for 28 before the interval as England's selection at the top of the order became no clearer.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.