Ramprakash fit to lead

CRICKET

Mark Ramprakash has been passed fit to lead England A against Bangladesh in the second one-day international in Dhaka today. The Middlesex batsman has recovered from flu and makes his debut as captain of a representative team as Alan Wells is rested for the first time during the two-month tour of India and Bangladesh.

England A will delay naming their team until the manager, Phil Neale, has inspected the pitch, but Glen Chapple, Richard Stemp and Ramprakash are lined up to replace Dominic Cork, Min Patel and Wells from the side that beat Bangladesh by 58 runs in Monday's first one-day match. Neale, himself recovering from a bout of flu, will resist the temptation to rest Jason Gallian, Monday's man of the match, who has yet to miss a game on tour.

"Jason has had a hard tour but we find that he balances the side beautifully. We are not here to concede any ground to Bangladesh, so he probably won't be rested," Neale said.

England, disappointed with Monday's rain-affected wicket, are hoping that two days of sunshine will have dried out the National Stadium square.

ENGLAND A (v Bangladesh, Dhaka, today; probable): Ramprakash (capt), Knight, Vaughan, Gallian, Hemp, Weekes, Nixon (wicketkeeper), Chapple, Johnson, Salisbury, Stemp.