Kumble sees off Hampshire on imperfect pitch

As preparation for Thursday's first Test against England at Lord's, India's final warm-up game was hardly what their captain, Sourav Ganguly, and coach, John Wright, would have wanted.

While the 66-run victory over Hampshire would have been good for confidence, a sub-standard pitch – on which the odd ball could either hit you between the eyes or on the toe – meant that India failed to get the practice they were looking for.

The sight of Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid making their way to the nets at the conclusion of the game, having turned down the opportunity to bat on Sunday, and the fact that John Crawley was not wheeled out to bat – due to the combination of an upset stomach, and not wanting to break a finger himself – told those present exactly what they thought of proceedings. Although Crawley was absent from the ground yesterday, Jimmy Cook, the Hampshire coach, felt he would definitely be fit for Thursday.

With India wishing to avoid an injury list similar to England's before such an important Test match, this was a game that, but for the discretion and good sense of the two captains, ran the risk of being abandoned. Such a decision would have been a major blow for this stunning new ground after the recent decision to allow it to host a one-day international next summer. For their effort and ambition Hampshire deserve this status, but the Rose Bowl may have to wait a little longer, until its new pitch truly settles in, before it can stage a Test.

With the pitch's reputation in mind, Adrian Aymes avoided making too much of a fuss after being rapped on the hands by the Indian quick bowler Tinu Yohannan. While Aymes was receiving treatment, even someone as ruthless as Ganguly appreciated that this was not an even contest and instructed his spin bowler, Harbhajan Singh, to finish off the over in progress. But the stalwart wicket-keeper, aware of the statement this would make, indicated for Ganguly to carry on with Yohannan. It was the last over of quick bowling we saw in the match.

For Hampshire, starting the day on 43 for 2 and requiring 209 more runs to win, the writing was on the wall after three balls when their captain, Robin Smith, padded up to a ball that kept low and nipped back from Sanjay Bangar. He was given out lbw for 19.

This brought Lawrence Prittipaul to the crease, who, after catching one under the armpit from Yohannan, played a couple of glorious drives and deft cuts before he too received an unplayable ball to which he made the cardinal sin of attempting to play Anil Kumble off the back foot. Looking to pull the leg-spinner his stumps were splayed before he got the bat down and with him went Hampshire's last chance of back-to-back victories over touring sides (they beat Australia last summer).

All of Kumble's four wickets came through the home side playing him off the back foot and this is a trap England must avoid in the Test series.

The introduction of spin at either end was too much of a carrot to ignore for Hampshire's lower order. With the potential threat of the fast bowlers returning, they all fell looking to play positive shots – why not? – and but for an entertaining last-wicket stand of 57 between Shaun Udal and James Tomlinson India would have been in the nets before lunch.