England caught cold in tour match

Tour match, Potchefstroom, day one of three (stumps):
England 225 v South Africa A 133-2

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England displayed their lack of match practice on the opening day of their tour match against South Africa A as batsmen and bowlers all struggled.

England's top order subsided inside 37 overs, Andrew Strauss standing out with 50, and they were bowled out for 225.

The total was bolstered by Geraint Jones (41) and Simon Jones (31 not out) with Charl Langeveldt taking 5-48.

The home side reached 133-2 from just 29 overs in reply, with Martin van Jaarsveld hitting an unbeaten 58.

Justin Ontong hit 56 in a second wicket stand of 106 with Van Jaarsveld before being caught at bat-pad off spinner Ashley Giles.

Only Matthew Hoggard, who went wicketless, avoided a hammering at the hands of the South African second string.

Simon Jones, preferred to James Anderson in the likely Test XI for next week, conceded 27 from five overs.

Day one reaction

Steve Harmison was the other wicket-taker, bowling Andrew Puttick in his second over after his first went for seven.

Put into bat, the tourists had expected tough opposition from a side featuring eight internationals.

And after a determined 44-run opening stand, the tourists were exposed.

None of the Test specialists who missed the recent tours to Namibia and Zimbabwe was able to make much of an impression.

Strauss dominated the opening partnership with Trescothick, who contributed just seven runs to that stand.

He became frustrated and chased a wide delivery from emerging seamer Ethy Mbhalati, edging behind to Boucher.

Mark Butcher, preferred to Robert Key, managed just three before offering Langeveldt a loose shot.

Langeveldt ran though the English batting

Strauss was unable to build on his promising start and cut a short delivery straight from Langeveldt to Ontong at gully.

And only three balls later he was joined back in the dressing room by Graham Thorpe, given leg before for a duck.

Just five overs after lunch, Andrew Flintoff edged to Van Jaarsveld at second slip to become Langeveldt's fourth scalp.

Captain Michael Vaughan followed six overs later to a similar shot, driving outside off stump straight to Puttick at first slip.

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England: ME Trescothick, MP Vaughan (capt), AJ Strauss, MA Butcher, GP Thorpe, A Flintoff, GO Jones, AF Giles, SP Jones, SJ Harmison, MJ Hoggard.

South Africa A: Ashwell Prince (capt), Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher (Wkt), JP Duminy, Charl Langeveldt, Ethy Mbhalati, Albie Morkel, Andrew Puttick, Alfonso Thomas, Martin van Jaarsveld, Charl Willoughby.