da bet sport： England A collected more bonus points today after skipper Mark Alleyne madehis first half-century in the Busta Cup against Windward Islands in StLucia
Kate Laven10-Feb-2001England A collected more bonus points today after skipper Mark Alleyne madehis first half-century in the Busta Cup against Windward Islands in StLucia.
MarkAlleyne
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His innings gave England A a lead of 79 runs over their opponents butweather permitting, they will have to double their total from 208 for sixtomorrow to gain the outright win they need from this match to make sure oftheir semi-final place.More rain fell over the Mindoo Phillip ground in Castries allowing just 76overs to be bowled on the second day and it was an offer of bad light thatfinally forced Alleyne and his partner Chris Read off the field with anotherrain-affected day forecast tomorrow.Alleyne’s 50 came off 97 balls and included three fours and a big six pulledthrough mid-wicket off pace bowler Fernix Thomas, who later retired hurtafter dropping the ball and falling onto it, twisting his knee in theprocess.Not only did his innings signal a welcome return to form for the captain butit also brought stability to England A’s middle order after a rocky start totheir reply which at one point saw the tourists struggling at 69 for four.Ian Ward showed he is not invincible when trying to dig out a yorker fromShane Shillingford, he was bowled having made 25 and John Crawley who lookedset fair for a big score was caught behind for 23 off the main strike bowlerThomas.Usman Afzaal was run out by a fine return throw from cover and ChrisSchofield, having provided a contrasting style to the smooth and steadyAlleyne to form a useful 45-run partnership, was bowled to leave England Afive wickets down and still 16 runs short of the 130 target needed for firstinnings bonus points.But Graeme Swann, who had earlier taken the last three Windward wickets in15 deliveries to wrap up the innings for 129, joined Alleyne and played withcalm assurance. With a drive through extra cover for four, he took England Apast the target and from that point on, the runs started to flow moreeasily.He pulled Deighton Butler over mid-wicket for six and picked off quicksingles to rattle up 48 runs propelling his side towards 200 but two runsshort of his half-century, he received a delivery from spinner Orlanzo Jacksonthat was pushed to silly mid off. The umpire raised his finger and Swanndeparted though was later surprised to find he had been adjudged lbw ratherthan caught.”It’s gone well today,” said Swann who joined the tour three weeks ago inGrenada after his county colleague Jason Brown left to take up England dutyin Sri Lanka.”It was good to get those quick wickets this morning and then get some runson the board this afternoon. I haven’t bowled that well on this tour,compared to how I can bowl, but I’m pretty happy with the way things aregoing. It was good to get a five-for and mop up the tail.”I didn’t realise I was two runs of a half-century until I came off thefield. But I felt good when I was batting and it was a shame to find I hadbeen given out leg before but it is just one of those things.””It started well this morning but we didn’t start well with the bat butrallied around at the end to finish 79 ahead which is a good position to bein. We have a good chance of winning now if we can push on tomorrow and get200 ahead perhaps.”The way we have been bowling sides out means we can back ourselves to winthis game,” Swann said.