February 27, 2008	Wednesday	Safar 19, 1429

DUNEDIN (New Zealand), Feb 26: England’s bowlers struck an early psychological blow ahead of next month’s series against New Zealand when they ripped through a near-Test strength batting line-up in a practice match on Tuesday.

The tourists dismissed an Otago invitational XI featuring Matthew Bell, Peter Fulton, Stephen Fleming and Mathew Sinclair for just 146 at Dunedin’s University Oval.

James Anderson and Matthew Hoggard captured three wickets each while Steve Harmison collected two in an encouraging return.

England led by 223 runs after declaring overnight on 369-9 but captain Michael Vaughan spurned the chance of some extra batting practice by enforcing the follow-on and was vindicated when Harmison bagged another scalp.

The two-day match ended in a draw but not before England’s bowlers picked up three more wickets in another boost to their preparations for the opening Test starting in Hamilton next week.

“It’s always nice to knock a few of the batsmen you’re going to play against maybe next week over cheaply,” Vaughan told reporters.

“Steve gets better and better the longer he bowls, he was one of the reasons we went out and bowled again.”

The lone disappointment from England’s performance in the match was a hamstring injury to seamer Ryan Sidebottom, ruling him out of their final pre-Test warm-up against a New Zealand Selection XI starting on Thursday.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 369 (O.A. Shah 96, A.N. Cook 85, I.R. Bell 75).

NEW ZEALAND INVITATION XI (1st Innings):

L.J. Morgan b Hoggard 3

M.D. Bell c Ambrose b Hoggard 0

P.G. Fulton c Anderson b Harmison 0

S.P. Fleming c Mustard b Harmison 5

M.S. Sinclair c Strauss b Anderson 2

J.W. Sheed c Strauss b Panesar 47

G.J. Hopkins c and b Hoggard 38

S.B. Haig c Ambrose b Anderson 30

S.R. Wells not out 5

M.R. Gillespie b Anderson 0

I.E. O’Brien c Mustard b Broad 0

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-4, W-4) 16

TOTAL (all out, 50.4 overs) 146

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-9, 3-17, 4-18, 5-26, 6-111, 7-111, 8-145, 9-145.

DID NOT BAT: W.E.R. Somerville, D.V. Lobb.

BOWLING: Hoggard 11-4-32-3; Harmison 10-1-41-2 (4w); Anderson 8-1-31-3; Broad 8.4-3-13-1; Panesar 11-5-15-1; Swann 2-0-2-0.

NEW ZEALAND INVITATION XI (2nd Innings, following-on):

L.J. Morgan c Shah b Harmison 17

M.D. Bell lbw b Panesar 22

P.G. Fulton b Panesar 33

S.P. Fleming not out 11

M.S. Sinclair not out 9

EXTRAS (LB-9, NB-1) 10

TOTAL (for three wkts, 32 overs) 102

FALL OF WKTS: 1-26, 2-67, 3-90.

BOWLING: Harmison 9-2-32-1 (1nb); Broad 3-0-11-0; Hoggard 5-2-8-0; Panesar 8-3-15-2; Anderson 4-0-21-0; Swann 3-1-6-0.

RESULT: Match drawn.

UMPIRES: D.M. Quested and D.J. Walker.—Reuters