England outshone by Wales in Cardiff

Wales have inflicted an eight-wicket defeat on England at Sophia Gardens in their one warm-up match before the NatWest triangular series. Set 190 to win, Wales reached the target with nine overs and three balls to spare.

Wales coasted to victory after the Glamorgan off-spinner Robert Croft smashed 30 off just 26 balls as he opened the Welsh innings. He was particularly severe on Matthew Hoggard, who struggled for rhythm and ended with figures of nought for 63 off seven overs. Croft's captain and opening partner Steve James batted throughout the innings, finishing on 83 not out.

James Kirtley celebrated his return to England colours by bowling Croft, but James and David Hemp then added 122 for the second wicket to put England effectively out of the game. Hemp was bowled by Kirtley for 57, but Jacques Kallis then stayed with James until the job was done.

England struggled to 189 for nine in their 50 overs after James put them in to bat, never fully recovering from the loss of their top four batsmen in the first 14 overs. Warwickshire left-hander Nick Knight fell in the seventh when he hit Kallis to Hemp at backward point.

Marcus Trescothick, captaining England to allow Nasser Hussain a break, followed three overs later when he was caught by Steffan Jones at third man off Andrew Davies. Trescothick had made 38 from only 31 balls. Michael Vaughan followed two overs later, driving Darren Thomas's second ball loosely to cover, where Croft took a fine catch. In his next over Thomas removed Graham Thorpe, cutting to Adrian Dale at point.

Paul Collingwood, playing his first innings for a month after a knee injury, made a steady 22 off 47 balls, adding 32 runs with Ronnie Irani. But Collingwood was then yorked by Croft, whom Irani then drove straight to mid-on. Croft finished with the excellent figures of two for 36 from his 10 overs.

Alec Stewart and Andrew Flintoff then shared a 58-run partnership which enabled a limited recovery. Scoring mainly in ones and twos, the pair were promising a more substantial revival when Flintoff holed out to Matthew Maynard at long-on off Jones for 29. Stewart (39) was then brilliantly run out by a direct hit from Hemp as he tried to regain his ground at the non-striker's end.

After Kirtley was run out for one, Jeremy Snape and Hoggard batted sensibly to add 23 runs for the last wicket and ensure that England used up their full quota of overs. But as Wales were shortly to prove, it was a far from adequate total.