England bounces back
Middle, lower-order batsman finally stop the rot
Posted: Thursday December 17, 1998 10:30 AM
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Stewart: "I just said to them with four games of cricket left to go, you're looking to win all four" AP |
CANBERRA, Australia (Reuters) -- England's cricketers completed a confidence-boosting victory over the Australian Prime Minister's XI in a light-hearted limited-overs cricket match on Thursday.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat at Manuka Oval, England recovered from a disastrous start at 26 for four to post a creditable total of 225 for eight from their 50 overs.
Reserve wicketkeeper Warren Hegg was top scorer with 47 while Nasser Hussain made 41 from 54 balls.
The key to England's recovery, however, was the performance of the tail, which has been roundly criticized after a series of collapses in the three Ashes tests.
The lower order got among the runs on Thursday, with Dominic Cork (22), Robert Croft (19 not out) and Angus Fraser (23 not out) lifting the tourists to a respectable total.
England captain Alec Stewart said: "I just said to them with four games of cricket to go, you're looking to win all four."
"Get out there and show everyone we've still got a bit of pride in our performances."
The PM's XI also got off to a bad start when they lost their first two wickets for just two runs.
Daniel Marsh, son of former test wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, threatened to turn the match around before he was eventually out for 74, caught by Mark Butcher from the bowling of off-spinner Croft.
Australia's cricket-loving Prime Minister John Howard had to leave the match shortly after the toss to deliver a statement on the Iraqi crisis but returned to the match soon after.
England's victory came as some relief to a side that has been condemned after their dismal performance in the Ashes series, even though Thursday's match was not always serious.
Australian test captain Mark Taylor took none for 16 in a single over. Fraser hammered him for two sixes after being bowled by a Taylor no ball that bounced twice before it hit the stumps.
Stewart and Taylor both described the game as a social match and said it would have little bearing on the two remaining Ashes tests.
"I don't think they were trying to get a psychological edge out of the day, I think they were just looking for a run round the park," Taylor said.
Stewart added: "It's a slight festival game... but you can imagine what would have been said if we lost."
England's next fixture is a four-day match against an Australian XI in Hobart starting on Saturday.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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