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Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Duckett's 70* gives England Lions thrilling one-wicket win

The India A team poses with the series trophy KCA

England Lions 125 for 9 (Duckett 70*, D Chahar 3-25, R Chahar 3-43) beat India A 121 (Lad 36, J Overton 3-24, Bailey 2-23) by one wicket

In what was a grand-stand finish to the five-match one-day series, Ben Duckett's unbeaten 70 steered England Lions past the 122-run target with one wicket to spare to deny India A a whitewash. At 114 for 9, England Lions were still eight runs away, but No. 11 Tom Bailey and Duckett survived six overs together before Duckett hit the winning six for a consolation win.

India A captain Ankit Bawne chose to bat in the morning in Thiruvananthapuram but opener KL Rahul's rut continued, as he was bowled for a duck to Lewis Gregory on the first ball of the match. Bawne, too, fell for a duck in the 10th over.

Jamie Overton then struck twice in one over to dismiss Rishabh Pant (7) and Siddhesh Lad (36) to reduce India A to 48 for 5, and it was only due to a patient 52-ball 23 from Axar Patel and a run-a-ball 21 from Deepak Chahar that ensured the hosts were not bundled out for under 100.

Deepak then took three wickets - including that of captain Sam Billings - in his first spell to reduce England Lions to 43 for 4. A 44-run partnership between Duckett and Steven Mullaney (8) then followed, before legspinner Rahul Chahar and Axar combined to reduce them from 87 for 4 to 95 for 8. Duckett's 86-ball innings, however, saw England Lions through.

The sides will now meet for the two-match unofficial Test series in February in Wayanad, Kerala.

Eng Lions 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st6AL DaviesWG Jacks
2nd11AL DaviesSR Hain
3rd15BM DuckettSR Hain
4th11SW BillingsBM Duckett
5th44SJ MullaneyBM Duckett
6th1L GregoryBM Duckett
7th6J OvertonBM Duckett
8th1DR BriggsBM Duckett
9th19BM DuckettM Carter
10th11TE BaileyBM Duckett