Cricket: Logan's runs carry tourists to safety

England Under-19 285 New Zealand Under-19 1

THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE seamer Richard Logan led a commendable England fightback with bat and ball towards the end of the first day of the opening Under-19 Test against New Zealand here yesterday.

Logan, whose mother died on the eve of the match, scored 61 while helping add a priceless 83 for the last wicket with Mark Wallace who finished 29 not out. The stand carried England from 202 for 9 to a respectable 285 on a good wicket.

Logan will return to England for his mother's funeral after this game but both he and his father were determined that he should play - and he certainly has not regretted his decision.

After his display with the bat he took the new ball and took a wicket in his first over, having Tim McIntosh caught high at second slip by Joe Tucker. Soon after, the Somerset left-armer Matt Bulbeck trap Kiwi skipper Jarrod Englefield leg before for a first-ball duck, leaving New Zealand on 12 for 2, still 273 behind.

England's captain, Michael Gough, and Ian Flanagan put on 47 for the first wicket before Gough edged a lifting ball from James Franklin to New Zealand's wicketkeeper, Peter McGlashan.

The tourists then suffered a collapse with the middle-order departing in the space of six overs. Ian Bell and Michael Carberry were both caught at short leg while John Maunders edged to second slip.

Flanagan had batted superbly for 53 but he fell straight after lunch, caught by Englefield. He was the first of five victims for seamer Hayden Shaw.

After Bulbeck fell first ball to Shaw, the Yorkshire all-rounder Richard Dawson began the fightback with an aggressive 67 that included a pulled six which almost clattered into the team bus.

Dawson added 72 for the with Tucker but punishing form of Logan, ably supported by Wallace, really turned the game around.

FIRST YOUTH TEST MATCH (New Plymouth): England Under-19 285 (R K J Dawson 67, R J Logan 61, I N Flanagan 53, H Shaw 5-49); New Zealand Under-19 12-2.