New Zealand A imposing win

New Zealand A skipper Scott Styris provided the all-round inspiration behind his side's 134-run success in a 50-over friendly with Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.

Styris struck a rapid 57 in a total of 279-9 and then claimed 3-34 from eight overs, including the important wicket of Australian Ian Harvey, as Gloucestershire were restricted to 145-9, with wicketkeeper Reggie Williams unable to bat through injury.

After Styris had won the toss, Michael Papps and Jacob Oram laid the basis for an imposing score by the tourists with a second wicket partnership of 90 in 17 overs.

Indeed, the New Zealand top order scored at such a fast rate that the 200 arrived in only 36 overs.

Papps struck five fours in his 97-ball innings of 66 which ended with a catch to Jeremy Snape at square leg off the bowling of Gloucestershire captain Mark Alleyne.

Alleyne also had Oram caught behind by Williams after the left-hander had hit four fours and two sixes, both from spinner Martyn Ball, in his 50-ball innings of 51.

Styris played equally well for his 57 before he skied a catch to Dominic Hewson in the deep to give Harvey one of his three wickets.

A late clatter of wickets kept New Zealand under 300, but it was never seriously threatened by Gloucestershire.

Hewson and Harvey put together a second wicket stand of 63 in just eight overs, but there was precious little other resistance.

Harvey, who took four boundaries off one over from Daryll Tuffey, brought up his fifty from only 38 balls. But he was then out from the next one when he was well caught by James Marshall, low at short extra cover, off Styris.

Spinner Bruce Martin bowled economically to remove James Averis and Ben Gannon in a return of 2-10 from 5.2 overs.

The last eight Gloucestershire wickets fell for 60 runs in 21 overs and it was a sorry batting display by the Benson and Hedges Cup holders.

Their disappointment was compounded by a nasty facial injury to Williams, who was deputising behind the stumps for the rested Jack Russell.

He was struck abover the right eye by a delivery from harvey in the 48th over. He was taken to Cheltenham General Hospital and had three stitches inserted in the wound.

He later returned to the ground with his eye closed by the severe bruising.

Williams said of the ball that did the damage: "It was like a top spinner that flew up off the surface. Until the bruising goes down, I don't know how long I will be out of action."