Shib Shankar Paul appeals against Kevin Pietersen in Vadodara on Thursday. Paul bagged 2/26. (AFP)

Vadodara: England were dismissed for 238 on the opening day of their three-day match against Board President’s XI on Thursday, with the batting highlight provided by injured Kevin Pietersen.

Seamer Munaf Patel took five wickets after Pietersen retired hurt with a lower back injury following a stroke-filled 47.

The Board President’s XI were 93 for one at stumps. Test opener Wasim Jaffer fell leg-before to left-arm spinner Ian Blackwell for 48 from the last ball of the day.

Not much went right for the visitors in their only tour match before the first Test in Nagpur on March 1, after captain Michael Vaughan was rested as a precautionary measure owing to the recurrence of a knee problem.

Fast bowler Simon Jones and off-spinner Shaun Udal were also left out due to a stomach virus, while allrounder Paul Collingwood had not recovered from a back injury.

The 22-year-old Munaf’s two-wicket burst in the morning to dismiss Andrew Strauss (23) and Andrew Flintoff (1) left England, who opted to bat, struggling at 78 for four at lunch.

Pietersen’s innings, studded with seven fours and a six, helped the tourists battle back to 208 for five at tea.

Pietersen struck paceman Vikram Rajvir Singh for 22 in one over, including four boundaries and a hooked six. He had called for a runner when he was on 23 during a 51-run stand with wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

“Pietersen has a sore back, we are monitoring it,” England spokesman Andrew Walpole said.

“Vaughan took a pain killing injection. We are hopeful he’ll play in the first Test,” he added. Jones made a gutsy 46, Ian Blackwell 33 and Liam Plunkett 37 off 60 balls with six boundaries. Jones added 59 with Ian Blackwell for the fifth wicket and 50 for the next with Plunkett.

Shib Shankar chipped in with a couple of wickets giving away just 26 runs.

Jones’ dismissal, bowled by Munaf, triggered a collapse and the visitors lost their last three wickets for the addition of just six runs. Munaf dismissed Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard, both bowled.