Denly – poor form continues

Palmerston North:

New Zealand A 373-6 (50 overs; P Ingram 135, S Stewart 59, N McCullum
50*; G Napier 3-74)

England Lions 335 (48 overs; J Trott 94, G Napier 77, O Morgan 74, R Key 44)

England Lions lost by 35 runs

By Charles Randall

ENGLAND Lions lost the first one-day international against New Zealand
A by 35 runs after suffering a run blitz at Palmerston North.

Graham Napier, fresh from his fruitful half-season with Wellington,
headed a bold attempt to chase down the 373 total at Fitzherbert Park
with 77 off 41 balls, playing as beautifully as his opponents feared
he might.

Rob Key, the captain, opened with his usual Kent partner Joe Denly,
though Denly’s slump continued when he was yorked for one. Key set the
tone with 44 off 45 balls before being run out after a mix-up with
Jonathan Trott (94 off 97 balls). The Middlesex left-hander Eoin
Morgan excelled with a typically resourceful 74 off 60 balls, but the
last wicket fell with two overs remaining.

The damage had been done earlier in the day when Peter Ingram, an
Auckland woodwork teacher, blasted 135 off 129 balls, crafting with
willow on this occasion. With Nathan McCullum, Brendon’s brother,
hitting 50 off 26 balls, the New Zealanders simply could not be
contained after a good start. Robbie Joseph’s two wickets cost 89 runs
in 10 overs.

Luke Wright and Mark Davies both missed the match to rest sore ankles
and from a bowling point of view might have been glad they did. The
second and last one-dayer is scheduled for Palmerston North on Monday.

Picture courtesy of Getty Images