Day 2 Close Indians 445 for 7 dec (Ratra 101*, Laxman 75) lead Derbyshire 228 for 3 (Khan 77*, Stubbings 66, Hewson 66, Kumble 2-17) by 219 runs Deposed Test wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra's unbeaten 101 was the centrepiece of the Indians' 445 for 7 declared on the second day's play of their tour match against Derbyshire. But India did not have things all their own way, as 20-year-old Rawait Khan's 77 not out guided Derbyshire to 228 for 3 at the close.

Ratra, who sustained a calf injury ahead of the second Test at Trent Bridge and saw the 17-year-old Parthiv Patel keep the gloves for India's innings victory at Headingley, made a determined effort to win back his place ahead of next week's final Test at The Oval.

India resumed on 301 for 5 with Ratra unbeaten on 50. The acting captain Rahul Dravid, fresh from a Man-of-the-Match-winning hundred at Headingley, then retired on 40 to give his bowlers some batting practice. Anil Kumble (47) and Harbhajan Singh both took their chance, albeit against a Derbyshire attack without Dominic Cork, Kevin Dean and Graeme Welch. Harbhajan in particular cut loose, making 44 from 32 deliveries with four fours and three sixes.

Ratra, whose innings lasted five minutes short of five hours, faced 207 balls and smacked 14 fours before the declaration came. It was his second first-class hundred, and more than doubled his aggregate of runs on the tour.

Rawait Khan and his fellow opener Steve Stubbings prospered against the Indian new-ball attack, putting on 131 before Stubbings was bowled for 66 by Harbhajan, hitting across the line. Dominic Hewson put on 94 with Rawait before he also went for 66, when a glance off Kumble was caught by VVS Laxman at leg slip. Kumble struck again shortly before the close when Shiv Sunder Das took a sharp bat-pad catch to remove the nightwatchman Paul Aldred for 2.

But, with a day to go, a draw looks the most likely result.

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