Mullally kept under wraps

India 305-3 dec and 123-2 Leicestershire 318-5 dec

India learned the identity of one Edgbaston opponent when television crews forced a path through their supporters to get at Alan Mullally here yesterday morning, but were offered no clues as to what they might expect from England's latest bowling weapon in Thursday's first Test.

The Leicestershire left armer, having bowled just eight of the 74 overs in the tourist's first innings, was left to patrol the outfield, subjecting his body to no more strain than was required to sign the odd autograph.

Given that runs have been flowing at close to five an over from both sets of batsmen on an easy-paced pitch, perhaps this was just as well. Why bolster the opposition's confidence in a match of little consequence. It seemed a sensible course of action, although the debutant medium pacer, Dominic Williamson, might not have seen it as such while Vikram Rathore was helping himself to some hitting practice at his expense.

The tall right-hander had been one of the successes of a troubled tour and would have opened with Navjot Sidhu in Birmingham had the latter not gone home in pique.

At 25 he has yet to play Test cricket, but has earned himself a guaranteed place. He failed nine short of a second century yesterday but had taken his aggregate in first-class games to 564 before Matthew Brimson lured him forward fatally.

Rathore's 11 fours and two sixes, both off the hapless Williamson, delighted the majority of a 4,000 crowd, drawn largely from Leicester's Indian community. It was the basis of a lead of 110 for the tourists on the final day, which promises to have something for the spin bowlers.

The more impressive innings, however, was that of Leicestershire's Aftab Habib, who has Indian parents and whose array of strokes made nonsense of his rejection by Middlesex. This lack of foresight has been to his new county's considerable gain.

Habib already had a double hundred to his name for Leicestershire and yesterday's 90 off 124 balls, illuminated by three sixes, was a sublime effort.

Assured support came from Darren Maddy and high entertainment from Phil Simmons, who escaped two dropped catches in making 58. His alliance with Habib added 103 in 17 overs before he top-edged attempting to supplement his two sixes.