BOMBAY (Reuters)
England will get their first real feel for local conditions on Sunday when they play their opening warm-up match of the India tour.

Nasser Hussain's side, who take on a Bombay President's XI in a two-day affair, were greeted by a grassy Wankhede stadium pitch as they prepared to kick off their first full tour of India in nine years.

Hussain said he expected his players to give their all in the match.

"I don't set targets [for performance]. I just set targets of how people behave, what they give to the team," he told reporters on Saturday.

"All I can ask, whoever the other ten are tomorrow, is that they prepare and go out and give 100%," Hussain added.

England face a strong Bombay side which includes former Test batsman Vinod Kambli, who hit 224 during England's 3-0 defeat on their last Test tour of India in 1992-93.

The team also includes two former Test spinners, left-armer Nilesh Kulkarni and Sairaj Bahutule, who bowls legbreaks.

As expected, Hussain announced that left-arm spinner Ashley Giles would not play in the Bombay game. Giles, who recently recovered from surgery to a long-term Achilles-tendon injury, is likely to be rested for all the warm-up games.

In his absence, uncapped offspinners Martyn Ball and Richard Dawson can hope to make an early impression against batsmen weaned on slow, turning tracks.

England also play two three-day tour games before the first Test starts in Mohali on December 3.

Hussain expressed surprise at the grassy pitch prepared for the game.

"To be honest it was not how I expected an Indian wicket to look," he said. "It's got a lot of grass on it, the groundsman says it's got good bounce and swings around a bit.

"I think it will be a good cricket wicket, it will swing, seam, bounce a little and turn a little bit."

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