May 11, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 5, 1429

LONDON, May 10: Seam bowler Chris Tremlett made England selectors take note as he underlined his credentials for an international return as he shone for England Lions against the New Zealand tourists on Friday.

He claimed two early wickets to leave the Kiwis, playing their final warm-up match before the start of the Test series, struggling on 47 for three in reply to the Lions’ first-innings 280.

Tremlett then returned with the second new ball to dismiss all-rounder Jacob Oram as New Zealand reached 261 for nine before the close of the second day.

Aaron Redmond looked to have done enough to secure a Test debut at Lord’s next week with an unbeaten 139.

While the other members of the New Zealand top order may be struggling for runs before Lord’s, Redmond showed a determined application to hit his fifth first-class century.

He batted all day to reach his highest score and shared a 77-run stand with Brendon McCullum which threatened to put the tourists firmly in control.

But with McCullum, who is leading the side in place of injured captain Daniel Vettori, in sight of his half-century he was involved in a mix-up over a quick single and was run out by Michael Carberry’s direct hit.

Redmond, however, made amends by reaching his own half-century and then survived being hit on the helmet by a hostile short ball from Tremlett.

He showed great resilience to recover from that shock to reach a superb century, which included 17 boundaries, having been dropped on 97 after giving a regulation catch to Graeme Swann at second slip off Onions.

He went on to surpass his previous best first-class score of 135 and put New Zealand on course for a first innings lead.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND LIONS (1st Innings) 280 (L.J. Wright 120).

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings):

J.M. How lbw b Onions 0

A.J. Redmond not out 139

J.A.H. Marshall c Wright b Tremlett 10

L.R.P.L. c Prior b Tremlett 5

B.B. McCullum run out 47

D.R. Flynn lbw b Onions 16

J.D.P. Oram c Prior b Tremlett 25

J.S. Patel c Shah b Hoggard 2

T.G. Southee c Swann b Hoggard 6

I.E. O’Brien lbw b Hoggard 0

C.S. Martin not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-9, W-1, NB-1) 11

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 90 overs) 261

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-33, 3-47, 4-124, 5-172, 6-244, 7-250, 8-260, 9-260.

BOWLING (to-date): Hoggard 20-6-41-3; Onions 18-8-45-2; Tremlett 17-0-58-3 (1nb, 1w); Swann 18-4-55-0; Bopara 1-0-4-0; Wright 6-1-12-0; Rashid 10-2-37-0.—Agencies