England Men MD 159-4 beat India Men MD 130-9 by 29 runs
England Men's Mixed Disability team and their Indian counterparts are becoming accustomed to coming up against each other, and today's series opener at Derby - the first of a seven-match Vitality IT20 series - continued the trend of the previous two series, with England coming out on top.
It was Angus Brown - scorer of this team's first-ever international hundred - who stood out with the bat today, scoring 48 from just 23 balls, with three sixes, to add some late impetus to his side's innings and take them to a target that would go on to prove too much for the visitors.
Alfie Pyle took 4-16 to claim the honours as stand-out performer with the ball.
Brown and Pyle have both become stalwarts of this England team in the new Mixed Disability format, but it was a newcomer in former England Men's Deaf captain George Greenway who laid the foundations with the bat on debut, making 42 at the top of the order.
Ronnie Jackson also made 42 from No.3, and put on 80 for the second wicket alongside Greenway.
India lost early wickets in their pursuit of 159, and never built any momentum. Pyle was supported by two wickets apiece for Jimmy Dixon and Alex Hammond.
Captain Callum Flynn said: "We're delighted to start the series with a win. We've had some good battles with India in the past and we knew getting our noses in front was going to be important.
"It was a good professional performance today, we built partnerships well and then exploded late on - and the whole bowling unit did their jobs really well."
Wednesday August 5: England Men MD 159-4 beat India Men MD 130-9 by 29 runs
Friday August 7: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, OurCoop County Ground, Derby, 14.30
Sunday August 9: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Uptonsteel Grace Road, Leicester, 14.30
Wednesday August 12: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, County Ground, Hove, 14.30
Saturday August 15: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Arundel, 14.30
Sunday August 16: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Arundel, 14.30
Wednesday August 19: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Lord’s, 15.30