Cricket: Thorpe digs in

England A . . . . . . . . . . . . .262-8

Western Australia

GRAHAM THORPE moved closer to an England Test call-up yesterday by playing a commanding innings to dig England A out of trouble in Perth. He made 97 as England reached 262 for 8 on the first day of their final tour match against a Western Australia XI.

Thorpe, with 10 fours and one six, rescued England after Bruce Reid proved his fitness by removing Mark Lathwell and Paul Prichard cheaply. But Reid had to concede star billing to Craig McDonald, a 23-year-old bank clerk, who destroyed England's middle order in taking 5 for 28.

Only Thorpe played McDonald with any comfort while Tony Middleton went one hour without scoring. England's total was boosted by 37 extras with Duncan Spencer, who joins Kent this summer, the chief culprit.

Martyn Moxon, England A's tour captain, failed a fitness test on his broken right index finger and dropped out before the start.

(First day: Western Australia won toss)

ENGLAND - First Innings

T C Middleton hit wkt b Wishart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

M N Lathwell c Fitzgerald b Reid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

P J Prichard lbw Reid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

G P Thorpe lbw b McDonald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

G D Lloyd c Campbell b McDonald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

*R C Russell c Campbell b McDonald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

D G Cork b McDonald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

A R Caddick lbw b McDonald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

D J Millns not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

M C Ilott not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Extras (b6 lb6 w3 nb11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Total (for 8, 95 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

Fall: 1-30 2-30 3-185 4-187 5-201 6-215 7-217 8-222.

To bat: J Boiling.

Bowling: Reid 18-3-36-2 (nb1); Spencer 18-2-93-0 (w3 nb10); McDonald 23-11-28-5; Hertzberg 13-3-41-0; Wishart 23-10-52-1.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: * W S Andrews, D Virgo, D Fitzgerald, M Goodwin, R Campbell, B Rayner, D Spencer, B A Reid, C McDonald, W Wishart, S Hertzberg.

Umpires: B Rennie and D Johnston.