England women falter in tour opener

The English women's team got their tour of Australia and New Zealand off to a shaky start today with a five-wicket loss to Australian National League champions New South Wales at Old King's Oval, Parramatta, in western Sydney.

England, who were at one stage reeling at 8/61 in the fifty-over-a-side match, made 104 in 49.5 overs. The NSWIS (New South Wales Institute of Sport) Blues, containing four current and two ex-Australian representatives, scored the required 105 runs for the loss of five wickets with 15.3 overs to spare.

All six of the NSW bowlers were among the wickets after Julie Hayes won the toss and sent England into bat, Belinda Clark playing but stepping down from captaincy duties for the day. Charlotte Edwards (16) provided some resistance against a well-drilled NSW bowling attack, until last pair Laura Newton (25*) and Lucy Pearson (13) added 27 for the tenth wicket. NSW pace bowler Bronwyn Calver took 2/13 from her ten overs, including the wicket of Clare Taylor through an exceptional diving one-handed catch from Julie Hayes. Therese McGregor claimed 1/4 from five, while off-spinner Lisa Sthalekar (1/28) was somehow permitted to bowl an eleventh over - though that extra over, which went for seven runs, was one of the most costly of the England innings.

A 72-run opening stand between Australian internationals Lisa Keightley (39) and Michelle Goszko (34) put the match beyond any shadow of a doubt, although nineteen year-old left-arm spinner Dawn Holden (4/31 from ten overs) had an impressive debut appearance in an England senior team.

England play a New South Wales team of second-eleven strength tomorrow at Bankstown Oval, Sydney, before the first of four one-day internationals against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.