Cricket: Deluge has Alleyne's plan A in disarray

New Zealand A 235-7 v England A

ENGLAND A'S attempt to make up for lost time in the Test with their New Zealand counterparts here was thwarted again yesterday by the weather and some stubborn resistance from the hosts' batsmen.

After losing all of Sunday's play to rain, New Zealand A recovered from a poor start on the second day to close on 235 for 7 in deteriorating conditions.

Mark Alleyne's decision to field seemed justified when Paul Franks, James Kirtley and the captain himself claimed a wicket apiece to leave the hosts on 56 for 3. However, a fourth-wicket stand of 93 between Matthew Sinclair and Mark Richardson threatened to take the balance back to New Zealand.

Marcus Trescothick then took a sharp catch at gully to dismiss Sinclair (62). A 90-minute rain-break followed and when rain relented, dampness on the wicket had to be dried out with the help of a blow torch. Two balls after the resumption Chris Schofield had Scott Styris lbw with an excellent top-spinner.

Richardson (74) shortly became Kirtley's third victim and Schofield then dismissed Warren Wisneski but it was England's last success.

England A won toss; Second day of four

New Zealand A - First Innings

*G R Stead c Trescothick b Franks 3

M D Bell c Turner b Kirtley 7

M S Sinclair c Trescothick b Kirtley 62

L Vincent c Turner b Alleyne 13

M H Richardson lbw b Kirtley 74

S B Styris lbw b Schofield 0

G J Hopkins not out 20

W A Wisneski c Turner b Schofield 23

A J Penn not out 14

Extras (b5 lb7 nb7) 19

Total (for 7, 85.3 overs) 235

Fall: 1-11 2-25 3-56 4-149 5-158 6-184 7-213.

To bat: P J Wiseman, G J Drum.

Bowling: Franks 16-4-37-1; Sheriyar 17.3-2-55-0; Kirtley 17-3-54-3; Alleyne 11-5-22-1; Schofield 24-9-55-2.

England A: I J Ward, M E Trescothick, V S Solanki, D J Sales, *M W Alleyne, A Habib, R J Turner, C P Schofield P J Franks, R J Kirtley, A Sheriyar.

Umpires: B F Bowden and R D Anderson.