Despite losing captain Strauss and Owais Shah (11) early in their innings, the Lions scored at a brisk pace in the opening session, evident from the run rate of 5.12.
Joe Denly (in the picture), the 21-year old batsman from Kent, batted with great confidence to pick up some gorgeous boundaries in front of the wicket and also off his pads as the Indian bowlers pushed too many deliveries at his pads which he dispatched with relish.
Zaheer faced Denly's ire in his fifth over which cost him 21 runs as Denly dispatched him to the ropes five times.
After driving him straight down for two glorious fours, Zaheer switched from round to over the wicket. But it made little difference to Denly who hit three more fours as the Indian seamer repeatedly drifted down the leg.
Denly brought up his 50 with a flick off Ishant Sharma and he celebrated it too with a smashing cover drive off the pacer.
India in the United Kingdom 2007
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