Cricket: England profit as wickets tumble

England A 132 & 35-0 Central Districts 111

IN A DAY of non-stop action England A were bowled out for 132, then demolished Central Districts for 111 before batting out the remaining overs without any further loss of wickets.

If this had been a championship match in England, the pitch inspector would have been on his way to the ground before lunch. With England A 76 for 7, there was every chance they would not make three figures. However, an eighth-wicket partnership of 50, followed by the cheap dismissal of Central Districts and an England counter-attack, gave them a lead of 56.

Ian Ward and Marcus Trescothick easily negotiated the first 11 overs until Ward was trapped leg before to Mike Mason. With his first ball the left-arm seamer Lance Hamilton had Trescothick caught behind for 13. Two balls later he bowled David Sales for a duck while next ball Rob Turner was also out leg before for 0. Vikram Solanki departed after contributing 11 runs, and England A were 47 for 5.

The captain Mark Alleyne (14) and Chris Schofield (13) delayed the decline before Schofield was out to a loose shot before lunch, followed next ball by Alleyne. When Alamgir Sheriyar went, England A were all out in under 50 overs.

They then needed quick wickets, and Sheriyar soon trapped Glen Milnes and Craig Spearman leg before. A stand of 52 between David Kelly and Glen Sulzberger was broken by Alleyne in the space of two overs.

Jacob Oram was caught off Franks while Campbell Furlong was bowled by Sheriyar, who then had Mike Mason caught behind. Hamilton was caught at slip to give Sheriyar five wickets.

Ward and Trescothick began the second innings positively to give England a lead of 56. In in these conditions, that is some way towards a substantial total.

First day of three; Central Districts won toss

ENGLAND A - First Innings

I J Ward lbw b Mason 12

M E Trescothick c Sigley b Hamilton 13

V S Solanki c Spearman b Hamilton 11

D J G Sales b Hamilton 0

R J Turner lbw b Hamilton 0

*M W Alleyne c Sulzberger b Oram 14

C P Schofield c Sigley b Mason 13

P J Franks lbw b Craik 19

S D Thomas c Sigley b Furlong 31

M K Davies not out 2

A Sheriyar b Furlong 4

Extras (b1, lb2, nb10) 13

Total (48.2 overs) 132

Fall: 1-28, 2-38, 3-39, 4-39, 5-47, 6-76, 7-76, 8-126, 9-126.

Bowling: Mason 13-2-43-2; Hamilton 14-3-38-4; Craik 15-5-26-1; Oram 4- 1-11-1; Furlong 2.2-1-11-2.

CENTRAL DISTRICTS - First Innings

D P Kelly b Alleyne 27

C S Milnes lbw b Sheriyar 0

*C M Spearman lbw b Sheriyar 8

G P Sulzberger c Sales b Thomas 26

M W Douglas run out 2

J D R Oram c Turner b Franks 19

M A Sigley b Franks 21

C J M Furlong b Sheriyar 2

M J Mason c Turner b Sheriyar 0

L J Hamilton c Sales b Sheriyar 0

E Craik not out 2

Extras (nb4) 4

Total (5.3 overs) 111

Fall: 1-0, 2-10, 3-62, 4-64, 5-70, 6-103, 7-109, 8-109, 9-109.

Bowling: Franks 12-6-18-2; Sheriyar 10.3-2-35-5; Thomas 11-3-26-1; Davies 2-0-7-0; Alleyne 10-3-25-1.

ENGLAND A - Second Innings

I J Ward not out 7

M E Trescothick not out 24

Extras (lb3, nb1) 4

Total (for 0, 6 overs) 35

Bowling: Hamilton 3-0-10-0; Mason 3-0-22-0.

Umpires: R D Anderson and M George.