Cricket: Illness stifles young tourists

England Under-19 202 New Zealand Under-19 205-4 NZ Under-19 win by six wkts

THE ENGLAND Under-19 side, heavily weakened by a bout of food poisoning, fell to a six-wicket defeat in the third one-day international against New Zealand Under-19s in Hamilton yesterday and lost the series 2-1.

The defeat brings to an end a disappointing tour in which the Test series was drawn after England were 1-0 up and the one-day series lost after the tourists were again in the lead.

Both teams and local officials were affected by sickness, with New Zealand missing their opener, Tim McIntosh, and having three other players take part in the match despite illness.

England lost three players - batsman Ian Bell, all-rounder Giles Haywood and pace bowler Matt Whiley. In addition, the seamer Matt Bulbeck was unable to take the field at all during the New Zealand innings after making 33 not out.

Although there was no certainty about the origin of the illness, which first surfaced in the England camp late on Sunday afternoon, the New Zealand coach, Dayle Hadlee, believed that it came from food served to players and officials at the Westpac Trust ground on Saturday during the second one-day international. He made a formal complaint to the Northern Districts Cricket Association and has asked for the local health authority to investigate the catering facilities.

THIRD UNDER-19 ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL (Hamilton): England Under-19 202 (I N Flanagan 62, M A Gough 55); New Zealand Under-19 205 for 4 (J Englefield 81no). New Zealand win by six wickets.