England received a knockout punch in the first round of the India tour as they collapsed to a eight-wicket defeat to the Board President's XI in the three-day warm-up match in Baroda on Saturday.
President's XI paceman Munaf Patel claimed a 10-wicket haul as England were bowled out for 158 in the second innings, after they had stumbled to 238 in the first. On Friday, India had taken a 104-run first innings lead as Gautam Gambhir's 108 powered them to 342 for eight declared.
With only 55 runs needed on the last day, the President's XI knocked them in 17 overs. Gambhir remained unbeaten on 22 from 54 balls, as the home side scored 58 runs for the loss of Wasim Jaffer (4) and Dheeraj Jadhav (18).
England's nightwatchman on Friday, Matthew Hoggard, was their highest scorer in the second innings, as they were blown away in 65 overs.
Patel followed up his 5 for 59 in the first innings, with another sizzling performance, picking up five English wicket for 32 runs.
This is England's only tour match before the first Test in Nagpur begins on Wednesday. Captain Michael Vaughan was rested as a precautionary measure due to the recurrence of a knee problem.
England stand-in captain Marcus Trescothick resumed the England innings on 10 for two. He took time to settle but played some pleasing drives against the pacemen.
He played a characteristic back-foot punch through covers for four off seamer Shib Shankar Paul and then struck off-spinner Ramesh Powar to the boundary with a lofted drive.
But the stand-in skipper was bowled by Paul, missing the line completely while attempting a drive.
Hoggard put up a gritty display, playing with caution against Powar who operated with three men in catching positions.
Hoggard, who struck three boundaries, had a reprieve on 24 when skipper Venugopala Rao dropped him at first slip off Paul.
Scorecard
England XI 1st innings 238
Board President's XI 1st innings 342-8 (decl)
England XI 2nd innings
M Trescothick b Paul 32
A Strauss c Raina b Patel 2
M Hoggard c Raina b Powar 42
I Bell c Karthik b Singh 29
A Flintoff c Karthik b Patel 2
G Jones lbw b Powar 12
I Blackwell b Patel 11
L Plunkett b Patel 15
S Harmison not out 2
M Panesar b Patel 0
K Pietersen absent hurt -
Extras (lb 4, w 1, nb 6) 11
Total (all out, 65 overs, 298 mins) 158
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-67, 3-95, 4-99, 5-123, 6-129, 7-155, 8-158, 9-158
Bowling: Patel 16 6 32 5 (1nb), Singh 13 1 45 1 (5nb, 1w), Powar 21 6 51 2, Paul 14 4 26 1, Venugopal Rao 1 1 0 0
Board President's XI 2nd innings (target: 55 runs)
W Jaffer c Strauss b Hoggard 4
G Gambhir not out 22
D Jadhav c sub (MJ Prior) b Panesar 18
S Raina not out 6
Extras (b 2, w 6) 8
Total (2 wickets, 17 overs, 70 mins) 58
Fall of wickets 1-11, 2-46
Bowling: Hoggard 4 0 10 1, Harmison 4 0 16 0 (2w), Panesar 5 1 20 1, Flintoff 2 1 2 0, Blackwell 2 0 8 0
More from rediff