Bell and Anderson star in 34-run win

England XI 295 for 6 (Bell 79, Cook 51) beat Canterbury 261 (Myburgh 87, Anderson 5-47) by 34 runs
Scorecard

	Luke Wright made 42 off 15 balls in England XI's 34-run win over Canterbury © Getty Images

Riding on a half-century by Ian Bell and a five-for by James Anderson, England started their tour of New Zealand on a positive note with a 34-run win in the warm-up match against Canterbury in Christchurch.

Bell's 79 and his 95-run partnership with Kevin Pietersen (48) laid the base for some lower-order fireworks by Luke Wright, which took the England XI to 295 in their 50 overs. Wright's 42, at No. 8, came off 15 balls with three fours and three sixes. He added an unbeaten 59 in four overs with Ravi Bopara.

Wright said he wasn't certain he would get a chance to bat. "It all happened quite quickly and it was nice to get in for five overs and luckily it went well," he said. "I suppose it suits me to either go in at the top of the order or going in at the end and just trying to get bat on ball. It was perfect for me and Ravi to go in and have a go.

"We've got a strong squad so everyone is fighting for their places at the moment. Every time we go out in the middle or in training, I think everyone is trying to impress and get in that first side.''

Johann Myburgh's 98-ball 87 was not enough for Canterbury to win the 13-a-side match as Anderson struck with 5 for 47. Myburgh added 81 with Peter Fulton after Anderson removed the openers. Dimitri Mascarenhas dismissed Fulton (31) and Shanan Stewart in quick succession to expose the lower order to the seamers. Ryan Sidebottom chipped in with two wickets while captain Paul Collingwood effected a run-out to dismiss Myburgh.

England will play another 50-over game against the same opposition on Sunday, this time with 12 players each, ahead of the Twenty20 in Auckland on Tuesday.