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Mumbai: Cheteshwar Pujara compiled a patient 87 and put the England bowlers to the grind along with Hiken Shah (84 batting) as Mumbai A reached 232 for four on day two of the tourists' warm-up game on Sunday.
Pujara, expected to be in the Indian team for the November 15-19 first Test to be picked tomorrow, came to the crease before lunch and spent the entire second session and much of the third till he was out after a 262-minute stay at the crease at the DY Patil Stadium.
Pujara, who hit 11 fours in 184 balls, and Hiken Shah put on a stand of 163 runs for the third wicket in around four hours as the disciplined England bowling attack toiled hard but was unable to separate the two for 338 balls.
In large measure due to the duo's fine batting, Mumbai A, replying to the visitors' first innings total of 345 for nine declared, ended the day 113 runs behind England with one more day to go.
At stumps, Shah was holding fort after having batted for over four hours, faced 190 balls and struck nine fours and a six.
Mumbai A lost their skipper Suryakumar Yadav in the last over of the day of the bowling of James Anderson, who took the second new ball, for 17.
Pujara, lucky to be let off on 22 by Anderson at slip off left-arm spinner Monty Panesar just after lunch, went into a defensive mode in the second session before opening out a bit in the last.
The 24-year-old Saurashtra batsman, who has played five Tests so far, was finally consumed by the same bowler, as Anderson pouched the edge off the defensive bat.
Mumbai A crawled their way back in the afternoon session against a disciplined England bowling attack after starting their innings 45 minutes into the third day. They moved to 43 for one at lunch with opener Bhavin Thakkar out for five.
The home team inched to 110 for two at tea break by adding 67 runs in the middle session in 31 overs and lost opener Shikhar Dhawan (27), who was sent back by part-time off break bowler Joe Root.
Brief scores
England XI 345 for 9 dec (Bairstow 118, Morgan 76, Patel 60) by 113 runs
Mumbai A 232 for 4 (Pujara 87, Shah 84*)
Status Mumbai A trail by 113 runs
