England A in command against Guyana

Ian Ward's hunger for runs looks inexhaustible after he made another dogged century at St George's today, putting England A in a strong position to earn valuable points against Guyana in the third round Busta Cup match.

Following on from his century against Trinidad and Tobago last week, the Surrey opener grafted for seven and a half hours to finish on 118 as England A were bowled out for 413.

While Ward provided the ballast, three more half-centuries from Aftab Habib, young James Foster and Chris Schofield blew the wind into England A's sails, steering them through another steaming hot day in Grenada.

Habib was on 36 when he resumed this morning and his elegant and timeless strokemaking provided one of the highlights of the day as he negotiated the Guyanan spinners with consummate ease. He was dropped on 48 but after reaching his second half century of the tour, came down the wicket to Carl Hooper, lofting the ball straight to Eion Katchay at long off.

By then Ward had reached his own milestone. His century came off 321 balls of which just five found the boundary rope and he was content to eke out the runs while his partners were more flamboyant. Guyana used just two spinners for much of the session but a change in the attack, with leg-spinner Ron Matthews introduced in the 29th over of the morning brought instant results.

With his third ball, he dislodged Ward's middle stump with a ball that kept low and another mammoth innings was over with the score 293 for five. The selectors' decision to involve all the players who had not yet played meant the rest of the order was short of experience so the next passage of play before and after lunch proved vital.

New boy James Foster, the 20 year-old student who was brought into replace Chris Read to keep wicket, gave his compatriots a happy surprise with an exhibition that from the outset looked promising. He watched carefully, pushed contentedly at non-scoring balls but was quick with his feet whenever an opportunity arose.

He rattled up a quick half-century and with Chris Schofield added 72 for the sixth wicket before being bowled by Ramnaresh Sarwan with a ball that nipped back. If he impresses with the gloves, his place in the side for the fourth round match against Barbados is virtually assured after such an impressive debut.

Neil McGarrell had bowled 42 overs in the innings before he struck lucky and it was a real stroke of luck when the umpire responded positively to an appeal for a catch that came off Paul Franks' arm. The off-spinner found himself on a hat trick when Ryan Sidebottom drove loosely at his next ball and was bowled, but had to deliver another ten overs before wrapping up the England A innings having Schofield stumped by Vishal Nagamootoo for a sting-in-the-tail 66.

It was a confident show from England A's younger contingent who gave selectors little cause to worry at going into this important match with such an array of callow faces.

The confidence shown by new ball attack Jonathan Lewis and Ryan Sidebottom, who had not yet bowled on tour, was less evident as both erred with their front foot, resulting in Guyana adding eight runs to their total before stumps but their hostility and accuracy was impressive and Lewis was unlucky to finish the day with just one wicket, his victim Nicholas de Groot caught at first slip by Vikram Solanki.

By the close, Guyana were 28 for one but the day belonged to Ward, who yet again exhibited credentials that should stand him in good stead when England selectors start casting their net for a replacement for Mike Atherton.

Afterwards, he described his innings as `functional' but not `aesthetically pleasing'.

"If you achieve success as a result of hard work, good preparation and a fair amount of thought, then it is very satisfactory. The runs have not come quickly and I haven't been in the best of nick.

"Nick is about playing to your strengths, seeing the ball, timing it right and moving your feet and while it all worked for me in Trinidad, but here from ball one, the rhythm and timing wasn't quite there. The wicket didn't help.

"But it is pleasing to me that I can still get runs without being in the best of nick. The innings was functional - certainly not aesthetically pleasing to anyone watching. It goes back to game plans - I looked at the pitch and assessed that the ball would not come on very well. It was going to be two paced and we decided we would have to bat a lot of overs to score runs and through stubbornness and a refusal to give my wicket away, I was able to achieve that."