OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 3.00pm.
FAST bowler Chris Silverwood seized two wickets in three deliveries when he made his first appearance for England on their tour of South Africa on Wednesday.
Silverwood, drafted in recently when paceman Dean Headley returned home early with a stress fracture in his back, helped England to beat a Gauteng Invitation XI by 42 runs in a 50 overs match.
England scored 274 for four on a flat pitch and restricted the Invitation XI, comprising provincial players and prospects from the country’s development scheme, to 232 for nine.
Silverwood took three for 45 in his 10 overs, having started by dispatching Sven Koenig (10) and Geoffrey Toyana (0) within the space of three balls.
Having slipped to 83 for four, the Invitation side were revived by a gutsy fifth wicket stand of 94 between Zander de Bruyn and Soweto batsman Solly Ndima.
Ndima, who has yet to play in a first class match, scored 52 off 62 balls, with six fours, while De Bruyn was top scorer with 82 off 101 balls, hitting eight fours.
Once this pair were parted, Darren Gough, who took three for 48, and Silverwood cut down the lower order.
Earlier, Darren Maddy and Mark Butcher gave England an ideal start by racing to 60 in the first 10 overs on their way to an opening partnership of 117.
Against a weak opening attack, Maddy was particularly aggressive, carving his way to 60 off 65 balls, striking nine fours and one six. Butcher contributed a more reserved 47 off 77 deliveries.
Andrew Flintoff picked up where Maddy had left off, smashing an unbeaten 79 off 76 balls with eight fours.
Flintoff received useful support from Chris Adams (37) and Alec Stewart (21) as England hammered 83 off the final 10 overs. — Reuters