Cricket: Russell's effort is all in vain

England A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238 and 208

NSW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .421-6 and 26-0

NSW win by 10 wickets

JACK RUSSELL'S gallant attempt to rescue England A from defeat against New South Wales in Sydney ended in bitter disappointment yesterday.

Leading the team in the absence of the injured Martyn Moxon, Russell scored an unbeaten half century before running out of partners, England finally humiliated by 10 wickets. While Russell was batting on a pitch that had become a graveyard for England over the first three days there was a hope of saving the game, particularly as play began more than two hours late on the final morning because of rain.

Russell shared a 69-run stand with Graham Lloyd before his partner became one of Wayne Holdsworth's five victims. England's last seven wickets fell for 148 runs as they collapsed to 208, leaving NSW needing 26 to win.

Russell said after his first match as captain: 'I can't explain the pain.' It was England's fourth defeat in eight matches.

(Final day: England won toss)

ENGLAND A - First Innings 238 (M N Lathwell 103, G D Lloyd 60; D Freedman 6-89, G Matthews 4-40).

NEW SOUTH WALES - First Innings 421 for 6 dec (M Bevan 170, R Chee Quee 90, T Bayliss 52).

ENGLAND A - Second Innings

(Overnight: 60 for 3)

P J Prichard c Emery b Freedman . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

J Boiling b Matthews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

G D Lloyd b Holdsworth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

D J Capel lbw b Freedman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

* R C Russell not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

A R Caddick lbw b Freedman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

D J Millns c Bevan b Holdsworth . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

P M Such b Holdsworth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

Extras (b9 lb9 w1 nb2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Fall (cont): 4-71 5-73 6-102 7-171 8-176 9-208.

Bowling: Holdsworth 16-1-47-5; McGrath 5-0-12-0; Matthews 25-9-61-1; Freedman 32-11-59-4; Bayliss 3-0-11-0.

NEW SOUTH WALES - Second Innings

R Chee Quee not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

M Slater not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Extras (lb4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Total (for 0) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Did not bat: P Emery, A Gilchrist, M Bevan, T Bayliss, B McNamara, G Matthews, D Freedman, W Holdsworth, G McGrath.

Bowling: Such 3-0-7-0; Boiling 3-0-15-0.

Umpires: I Thomas and I Jackson.