Cricket: Resolute Irani has field day with bat and ball

England A 213-7 New Zealand A 204 England A win by nine runs

RONNIE IRANI returned to action after a bout of chicken pox to make a stirring contribution as England A preserved their unbeaten tour record with a nine-run victory over New Zealand A in the first one-day international here yesterday.

The Essex all-rounder helped the tourists to recover from 84 for 5 to 213 for 7 by making 62, and sharing a sixth-wicket partnership of 104 with Marcus Trescothick. Irani then took 3 for 25 as England A restricted their hosts to 204.

On an uneven surface, England A's total appeared competitive, but they looked like losing until the Kiwis' last six wickets fell for only 27 runs.

New Zealand A made a flying start that was interrupted when Chris Gaffaney was caught in the covers off the first ball bowled by Irani. But a second-wicket partnership of 91 between Chris Nevin and Jacob Oram seemed to have made the home side's task a formality.

Trescothick then put his part-time bowling to good use, striking with his first ball and again four overs later, and Paul Franks returned to complete his haul of 3 for 26. When Irani struck again with the first ball of his final spell, the tide turned.

England A won toss

ENGLAND A

M A Gough c Oram b Mason 12

I J Ward b Styris 15

V S Solanki c Nevin b Tait 4

D J G Sales c Mason b Styris 9

M E Trescothick b Mason 69

*M W Alleyne lbw b Walker 12

R C Irani c Walker b Mason 62

R J Turner not out 11

P J Franks not out 1

Extras (lb5, w12, nb1) 18

Total (for 7, 50 overs) 213

Fall: 1-21, 2-34, 3-44, 4-50, 5-84, 6-188, 7-207.

Did not bat: R J Kirtley, M K Davies.

Bowling: Mason 10-1-51-3; Tait 10-2-37-1; Barnes 7-0-32-0; Oram 10-2- 37-0; Styris 10-2-28-2; Walker 3-0-23-1.

NEW ZEALAND A

C B Gaffaney c Ward b Irani 11

C J Nevin c Ward b Trescothick 68

J D P Oram c Turner b Trescothick 41

L Vinvent c Turner b Franks 24

M S Sinclair lbw b Alleyne 7

*M H Richardson c Trescothick b Franks 15

A C Barnes c Turner b Franks 1

S B Styris c Solanki b Irani 8

B G K Walker lbw b Irani 1

A R Tait c Franks b Kirtley 3

M J Mason not out 4

Extras (lb13, w7, nb1) 21

Total (48.4 overs) 204

Fall: 1-40, 2-133, 3-148, 4-155, 5-177, 6-181, 7-196, 8-196, 9-199.

Bowling: Franks 10-2-26-3; Kirtley 9-0-39-1; Irani 8.4-1-25-3; Alleyne 10-1-48-1; Davies 4-0-24-0; Trescothick 7-0-29-2.

Umpires: R D Anderson and B Frost.