Tim Tremlett reports back from England U19 Tour to India

Memo from a special correspondent in Hyderabad

We have been made to feel most welcome throughout our tour to date.The hospitality has been extremely generous and everybody has endeavoured to make our tour as comfortable as possible.

Despite losing the Test series it has been a wonderful experience for these young players and some will undoubtedly play for England at the appropriate time in years to come.

The standard of pitches has been excellent. Conditions have favoured the batsmen and we have witnessed some fine individual batting performances from both sides. The balance of the England squad would have benefited from the addition of a further spinner but nonetheless the quicker bowlers have toiled valiantly in the heat of Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.

The biggest disappointment has been the standard of the fielding. Both teams have been poor in catching and ground fielding. Six or seven catches have been put down each day and the bowlers have suffered accordingly.

>From a Hampshire viewpoint, Tremlett junior performed very creditably in Chennai but has come back to earth with a bump in Hyderabad.

Following the earthquake near Ahmedabad, which has cost thousands of lives, the itinerary has changed slightly. We are still playing three one-day internationals but two will now be played in Hyderabad and one in Vijayawada.

The one-day series promises to be very exciting. There should be plenty of runs with Peng for England and Mane for India, a Tendulkar lookalike, leading the way as the principal strokemakers.