Cricket: Cork's temper pops

ENGLAND A failed to take a single Tasmanian wicket on a rain-affected second day at Launceston yesterday. The contrast with the successful opening day could hardly have been greater, when Ted Dexter, England's chairman of selectors, had been on his feet to applaud Mark Lathwell's century. Yesterday, England's much- heralded pace attack was made to look mediocre and Dexter was treated to the sight of flares of ill- temper from Dominic Cork.

A series of appeals went against the 21-year-old Derbyshire all- rounder who proceeded to incur the crowd's anger by stamping both feet in disgust. This display will not have impressed Dexter, especially as Cork had to be calmed by his captain Martyn Moxon at the end of an over.

On a lifeless pitch, neither Cork nor Leicestershire's David Millns could prevent Tasmania's openers Dene Hills and Nick Courtney from piling up 159 without loss in reply to England's first innings 420 for 9 declared.

Play had to be abandoned after only three and a half hours because of rain, by which time Essex's left-arm paceman, Mark Ilott, had established himself as the pick of the tourists' attack. He worried the batsmen with a combination of accuracy and movement, but to no avail.

Due to the weather's interruption, the match is heading for a tame draw. The squad will then fly to Melbourne for the next leg of their two-month tour.

(Second day of three: England A won toss)

ENGLAND - First innings 420 for 9 dec (M N Lathwell 175, G P Thorpe 96).

TASMANIA - First Innings

D F Hills not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

N C P Courtney not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Extras (lb4 b1 nb4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Total (for 0, 54.3 overs) . . . . . . . . . . . . .159

Did not bat: J Cox, R Ponting, *R J Tucker, D J Buckingham, M N Atkinson, C D Matthews, T Cooley, D Castle, P T McPhee.

Bowling: Millns 9-2-36-0; Ilott 16-5-37-0; Cork 15-5-38-0; Capel 7.3-0-30-0; Boiling 7-3-13-0.

Umpires: R Donaldson and B Knight.