April 29, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 22, 1429

ARUNDEL (England), April 28: Aaron Redmond staked his claim for a place in the New Zealand Test team with a solid 72 in the opening match of their English tour against the MCC at Arundel on Sunday.

Redmond, 28, son of former Test opener Rodney Redmond is one of only two specialist opening batsmen in the New Zealand squad and could be in line to face England in the first Test at Lord’s, starting on May 15, after this impressive 117-ball knock which including seven fours.

He and stand-in captain Jamie Haw shared a first-wicket stand of 91 in a total of 239 for seven before the MCC, chasing an adjusted victory target of 217 off 37 overs following six interruptions for rain, reached 44 for two before the match was abandoned because of bad light.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

J.M. How c Ackerman b Cairns 46

A.J. Redmond c Nixon b Ervine 72

J.A.H. Marshall c Nicol b Stephenson 11

P.G. Fulton c Elworthy b Nicol 28

D.R. Flynn c Montgomerie b Stephenson 1

G.D. Elliott lbw b Elworthy 14

G.J. Hopkins c Benham b Nicol 9

T.G. Southee not out 20

J.S. Patel not out 9

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-21, NB-3) 29

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 47 overs) 239

FALL OF WKTS: 1-91, 2-120, 3-174, 4-176,

5-183, 6-199, 7-208.

DID NOT BAT: M.R. Gillespie, M.J. Mason.

BOWLING: Elworthy 9-1-55-1; Ervine 10-2-50-1 (3nb, 4w); Cairns 4-0-18-1 (2w); Stephenson 10-1-42-2 (1w); Patel 9-0-37-0 (1w); Nicol 5-0-32-2.

MCC:

D.J. Bicknell c Fulton b Gillespie 12

R.R. Montgomerie lbw b Gillespie 20

H.D. Ackerman not out 9

S.M. Ervine not out 0

EXTRAS (W-3) 3

TOTAL (for two wkts, 9 overs) 44

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-44.

DID NOT BAT: R.J. Nicol, C.L. Cairns, C.C. Benham, P.A. Nixon, J.P. Stephenson, S. Elworthy, M.M. Patel.

BOWLING: Gillespie 5-0-26-2 (1w); Southee 4-1-18-0 (2w).—Agencies