India's veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took his maiden wicket for Surrey on Sunday during the ongoing County Championship match against Somerset. Ashwin dismissed 21-year-old Somerset batter Tom Lammonby to pick his first wicket. The southpaw fell prey to Ashwin’s brilliant delivery which took the off stump sparing no chance for Lammonby to prevent his dismissal in the 40th over of the game.
However, the English cricketer was looking in good form as he was inching closer towards his half-century but could not hold his nerve against Ashwin’s disciplined bowling and got out after scoring 42 runs off 89 deliveries in the first half of the second session.
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Notably, Ashwin became the first spinner to bowl the first over in a County Championship match since August 2010. Ashwin was named in the 13-man squad by Surrey for their game against Somerset. He was brought in as a replacement for New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieon who was ruled out of the game owing to an injury. The 34-year-old has represented Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire in the past.
Ashwin’s participation in the lone game for Surrey would help him to acclimatised to the English conditions better ahead of Team India’s five-match Test series against England, starting from August 4.