Tredwell takes three wickets in England ACT warm-up win
Monday 12th January 2015
Kent spinner James Tredwell starred in a comfortable win over a Australian Capital Territory XI in Canberra as England warmed up for the tri-series against Australia and India.
The Ashford-born bowler, who extended his Kent Cricket contract in November, took 3-31 from four overs, including two maidens.
Tredwell said: “Clearly that’s what we’re trying to get out of this game is to trying to get as many people a go as we can. We got that and I think most people did pretty well today.
“Everyone’s had a decent time in the middle and then to bowl a side out and get miles in the legs is a pretty good start for us.
“I’m sure there are some of those guys who would have wanted to go on, but for that many of our team to get good time in the middle, even the likes of Woakesy to get good time in the middle and strike them so well, is great signs for us.
“There was a little bit of turn and bounce.Sometimes you get those days where you get a couple early. Other days it can go the other way.
“I got three or four overs under my belt and like most of the bowlers we’ve got a few overs under our belts now, (so we’re) going into the next game looking forward to it.”
Once Eoin Morgan won the toss in his first fixture as full-time captain, the tourists posted a commanding 364 for six with five of the top six making fifties.
A reshaped top four of Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, James Taylor and Joe Root were all half-centurions before an explosive, unbroken partnership between all-rounders Ravi Bopara and Chris Woakes worth 105 in just 50 balls.
Tredwell dismantled the ACT middle-order as the hosts were skittled for 148 in the 33rd over.
Pacemen James Anderson and Stuart Broad looked fit on their return from knee injuries, sending down seven overs each.
The result sets England up for tougher opposition on Wednesday when they will face a Prime Minister’s XI in a day/night match at the same venue.
Today Bell, opening alongside Moeen, was dropped with just four to his name by Shane Devoy.
But that was the only moment of worry in an otherwise gentle new-ball examination for England's new first-wicket partnership.
Moeen was quickly into his stride, peppering the ropes with a series of clean hits and adding a pair of sixes off Greg West and Joshua Bennett.
He raced to a half-century in 38 balls but fell to the next delivery, stumped off a wide as he looked to go after Devoy.
Bell and Taylor were less eye-catching than Moeen but steered the score along to 100 for one in 15 overs.
The pair settled in to a steady, unspectacular rhythm, both reaching a fifty with two boundaries apiece.
Bell's innings of 51 in 62 balls ended when he chipped Cameron Suidgeest to mid-on.
Taylor managed four more runs before he mis-read a ball by 16-year-old leg-spinner Mac Wright and was bowled.
Root was more fluent, muscling seven boundaries en route to 56 before being hurried up by Mitch Phelps.
That was the first of three wickets to fall for two runs, Morgan bowled for 32 by Devoy on the reverse-sweep and Jos Buttler cheaply run out following a hesitation involving Bopara.
That briefly threatened to derail England but Bopara and Woakes laid into the bowling with aplomb at the end.
Bopara smashed five sixes, including three in three balls from Daniel Magin, as he made 56 not out in 27 balls, while Woakes added three maximums of his own in an unbeaten 45.
The ACT side never looked like taking on the chase.Captain and opener David Dawson, a Sydney financier, got his margins wrong when taking on Broad's arm and was run out for seven.
Matt Condon top-scored for the hosts with 36 from the top of the order before miscuing a short Woakes ball to Taylor at mid-on, and the introduction of Tredwell removed the guts of the middle order.
He took three wickets for no runs in a decisive two-over stint, trapping Nick Larkin in front, having New South Wales batsman Henry stumped and finishing up with Vele Dukoski for a duck.
Another flurry of three wickets in seven balls carried England to the cusp of victory.Broad took out Andrew Harriott and Magin in a strong sixth over, with Anderson claiming Lewin Malady lbw at the other end.
That left two wickets to get and Moeen obliged, bowling Wright and winning a leg-before decision against last man Phelps to wrap up a straightforward victory.
See James Tredwell in action this summer with a Kent Cricket Membership.
Tickets to Kent v Australiaon June 25-28, the first game of the Ashes Tour, is included in Kent All Rounder and Championship Plus Memberships and is an option for Six Pack package holders.
Members can also buy up to six guest tickets before the fixture goes on general sale in March 2015.