Northampton, Aug 7: Northamptonshire opening batsmen Mal Loye and Niall O’Brien struck centuries to tire the Indian bowlers on Day 2 of their practice game before the Edgbaston Test. The Northants, riding on those twin centuries, eventually went past India’s first innings score of 352, registering a first-innings win under the ECB's regulations.

Earlier, India resumed the day from their overnight score of 327 for seven and lost their last two wickets (Abhinav Mukund retired hurt yesterday) with the addition of 25 runs to their total. Amit Mishra’s battling innings of 61 from 120 deliveries was brought to an end by Luke Evans, the medium pacer finishing with figures of four for 74.

Even though the match was a practice game and the Indian bowlers bowled well within themselves, Northants openers Loye and O’Brien did well to put on a 201-run stand for the opening wicket. Zaheer Khan bowled only three overs before leaving the field in this duration. Loye was the first wicket to fall but not before the opener had helped himself to a 100; the centurion was caught by MS Dhoni off Munaf Patel.

O’Brien’s wicket, though, triggered a collapse. The Northants went from a score of one for 261 to seven for 301 within an hour in the post-tea session. However, David Murphy (26*) and Dave Burton (36*) managed a 54-run stand thereafter to go past India’s first innings score of 352.

For India, Munaf Patel, Amit Mishra and S Sreesanth took two wickets each.

Brief scores: India1st innings 352 all out in 95.3 overs (Abhinav Mukund 113 retired hurt, Amit Mishra 61, Luke Evans 4/74) and Northamptonshire 1st innings 355/7 in 83.2 overs (Mal Loye 100, Niall O’Brien 117, Amit Mishra 2/64)