Vice-Chancellor’s XI crash to defeat

KINGSTON: England ploughed over the University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor’s XI team to win by an innings and 85 runs yesterday, with one day to spare in the warm-up match before next week’s opening Test against the West Indies. After taking a first innings lead of 155, the visiting bowlers skittled the home team for 70 off just 24 overs. Matthew Hoggard, Ashley Giles and Simon Jones each claimed three wickets. Earlier in the day, Graham Thorpe put his niggling back injury behind him to hit a fluent half century and lead England from 152 for two overnight to 274 all out. Thorpe, who spent most of Friday off the field receiving treatment for a sore back, hit seven fours in 55 off 114 balls.

The local bowlers kept a tight rein on the Englishmen when they resumed, and reaped rewards during the first two sessions. Nasser Hussain added just 10 to his overnight score of 76 before he was bowled by a pearl of a delivery from pacer Jermaine Lawson. The Essex right-hander was named Man of the Match for his 86, laced with 12 fours off 139 balls. After that, only Thorpe managed to flex his muscle, while batsmen Paul Collingwood (14), Andrew Flintoff (four) and wicket-keeper Chris Read (duck) all missed out. Left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham, with three wickets for 37, and Lawson, with three for 72, led the bowling attack. Jason Bennett supported with two for 32. Captain Jason Haynes and Kennedy Obuya shared an opening stand of 41 to give the Vice-Chancellor’s XI hope. But an hour later, the match was over after a spectacular collapse by the batsmen. Pacer Hoggard, with three wickets for 10, and left-arm spinner Giles, with three for 23, sliced through the middle order before Jones’ pace nailed the tail-end with three wickets for three. Haynes (11), Obuya (22) and Tonito Willett (14) were the only batsmen to pass double figures.

Obuya’s dismissal, driving to extra cover off Hoggard, sparked the terminal slide. Haynes followed in the next over, bowled by Giles’ arm ball and the middle and lower order crumbled. Dwayne Bravo was leg before to Hoggard, who also claimed Darren Sammy from an edged catch to the wicket-keeper. Giles removed Dave Bernard to a slip catch and Willett leg before. Jones then finished the match in style by bowling Ryan Nurse and Jason Bennett and having Jermaine Lawson caught at slip. Steve Tikolo, the Kenyan international, was unable to bat due to illness.