Sport

VC XI pose stiff test for English

By ANTHONY FOSTER, Freelance Writer

Jamaica's Shawn Findlay is bowled for 26 during yesterday's final session of their three-day match against the touring English cricketers at Sabina Park. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

THE REAL TEST FOR England before next Thursday's start of the Cable & Wireless Test series bowls off tomorrow with a three-day match against a strong Vice Chancellor's XI at Sir Frank Worrell Oval, UWI, Mona.

West Indies fast bowlers Jermaine Lawson and Jerome Taylor have been included in the Vice Chancellor's XI to give the tourists a real examination before the start of their four-Test series against the West Indies.

Jamaica's David Bernard Jnr., another West Indies player, is also in the squad to be led by Barbadian Jason Haynes.

In England's opening match against a Jamaica XI which ended yesterday in a draw, Michael Vaughan scored a century before lunch on the opening day, 105, and Paul Collingwood got 103 on the final day.

Also getting good scores were Nasser Hussain (65), Chris Read (61) and Andy Flintoff (57).

However, the bowling led by James Anderson and Matthew Hoggard who shared six wickets in the first innings, along with Ashley Giles' four wickets in the second innings' could consider themselves on track.

First class

Apart from the three West Indies players, Kenyans Steve Tikolo and Kennedy Otieno are the two guest players included in the Vice Chancellor's XI , and they will want to impress, especially with their country pushing for Test status.

Batsmen Dwayne Bravo (Trinidad & Tobago), Tonito Willett (Leewards), along with Darren Sammy (Windwards), Ryan Cunningham (Jamaica), Jason Bennett (Barbados/West Indies 'B'), Shaun Graham and Ryan Nurse (Barbados) are the other players in the Vice Chancellor's squad.

Although the match should be a first class affair, there are doubts that it will be recognised as such because both teams want to use 12 players.

According to information coming out of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), although England had requested permission to use 12 players, the West Indies, in a faxed message, has advised that it is a first class match and only 11 players will be allowed on each team.

TEAMS:

Vice Chancellor's XI (from): Jason Haynes - captain, Tikolo, Otieno, Lawson, Taylor, Dwayne Bravo, David Bernard Jnr., Tonito Willett, Darren Sammy, Ryan Cunningham, Jason Bennett, Ryan Nurse and Shaun Graham.

England (from): Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain, Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Gareth Batty, Chris Read, Rikki Clarke, Paul Collinwood, Stephen Harmison, James Hoggart, Geraint Jones and Simon Jones.