Mark Davies opened the bowling for the Lions and finished the day with 16 economical overs for only 35 runs including five maidens. Liam Plunkett then proceeded to get through 21 overs picking up one wicket for 83 runs. Mark and Liam also helped themselves to one catch apiece in the match.
England Lions were made to work hard in the field on the first day of action on their month-long tour of New Zealand. A century from left-handed opener Josh Brodie helped New Zealand Cricket Emerging Players close on 321 for seven in a 12-a-side game in which one player from each team will not bat.
Lions captain Rob Key had opted to bowl first in the two-day game at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln but his opening bowlers struggled to back up the decision. Seamer Jonathan Trott was the tourists’ most successful bowler with 3-31 from 13 economical overs. Luke Wright chipped in with 2-56 while Liam Plunkett and Gareth Batty each claimed a wicket.
Twenty-one-year-old Brodie (124 from 216 balls) and host skipper Tim McIntosh (43) put on 101 for the first wicket before Trott struck. Besides Brodie, no other New Zealand batsman reached fifty as wickets fell at regular intervals. Brandon Hiini (nine) and Te Ahu Davis (26) were unbeaten at the close.
England Lions’ batsmen could not all take advantage of time in the middle at the beginning of their trip to New Zealand as the tour match against New Zealand Cricket Emerging Players was drawn.
Opener Stephen Moore was the chief beneficiary, striking a fluent 75, after the hosts declared overnight on 321 for seven.
Moore’s innings, from 82 balls with 12 fours and a six, helped the tourists post 277 all out in 68.4 overs – after which the captains shook hands. Ben Scott, a wicketkeeper playing as a batsman, was the only other Lion to reach a half-century with a patient 53 from 124 deliveries.
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