SOMERSET'S Nick Compton hit an unbeaten 64 in England’s second innings as their game against Mumbai A ended in a draw.

This innings will have boosted the Somerset man’s chances of claiming the second opening spot for the First Test against India which gets underway on November 15th in Ahmedabad.

Compton had a bumper season in 2012 and was the leading run scorer in the first class game ending with 1494 to his credit and topped the batting averages with 99.60 but in his first two innings’ of the tour he has scored one run.

On Monday however he put that right and opening the innings with Joe Root, who is also in contention for that number two slot, he batted throughout the 52 overs, during which he faced 162 balls and hit six fours in his 64 not out from 149 for two.

There is one final warm up match, a four day game that starts tomorrow (November 8) at Haryana in Ahmedabad.

Back at Taunton the Somerset captain Marcus Trescothick wasn’t at all surprised at Nick’s success.

He said: “It’s a matter of time because he is 29 and he is the same as myself. You know you may go four or five games if you are unlucky, but you know that in that sixth game you will get a double hundred.”

“It’s not a case of it going completely it just disappears for a little bit of time but when it comes back you know you are going to get loads of runs.”

“It is all about keeping that confidence to know that it isn’t my time at the moment but when it is I am going to make the most of it.”

“It is about batting long periods of time and we have seen him do that on many occasions and he is one of the best in the country at doing that. When he gets going he will churn it out which is what he is all about.”