England struggling to avoid heavy defeat

England were battling to avoid an innings defeat after another batting collapse on the second day of a three-day tour match against Australia A on Saturday.

Forced to follow-on after crumbling to 183 all out in their first innings, the tourists were struggling at 96 for three in their second innings at the close of play, needing another 74 runs to make the second-string Australian side bat again.

England, without six of their first-choice players thrashed by Australia in last week's first Test, only added 132 runs after starting the day 50-1.

Forced to follow-on after finishing 170 short of Australia A's 353-3 declared, they also lost openers Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan and number three batsman Mark Butcher before the close of play.

With the second Test against Australia just five days away and England's batsmen in desperate need for batting practice, the tourists once again let another opportunity slip.

"Obviously we're not performing anywhere near as well as we can," batsman John Crawley said.

"We'll have to get everything as right as we can before Adelaide."

England made a disastrous start to the second day at Bellerive Oval when Trescothick, filling in for Nasser Hussain as captain, departed in the second over.

The Somerset opener failed to add to his overnight score of five when he edged a ball from fast bowler Brad Williams to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, triggering a collapse that saw the tourists lose 4-66 before lunch.

Surrey left-hander Butcher added just 12 runs to his overnight score of 30 when he was caught in the slips by Martin Love, who scored an unbeaten double-century for Australia A the previous day after making 250 against the tourists in an earlier tour match a fortnight ago.

Robert Key made 36 off 80 balls when he pulled a short ball from Ashley Noffke straight to Nathan Hauritz at mid-on and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff made just one before his off stump was knocked out of the ground by paceman Stuart Clark.

England went to lunch already in trouble at 116-5 but things only got worse after the re-start as they lost their last five wickets for 61 runs.

Williams grabbed the last three, all leg before wicket, to finish with 5-52 as England were dismissed in 70.2 overs. Crawley top scored for England with an unbeaten 43.

England were soon in more trouble after Australia A captain Jimmy Maher asked them to bat again with a session to play.

Trescothick departed for 11 when he was clean bowled by Noffke before Vaughan dragged a ball from Clark back on to his stumps for 14 with the total on 28.

Butcher threw his wicket away when he top edged a wide delivery from part-time medium pacer Greg Blewett, leaving Key and Crawley to bat through to stumps.

Key, 12th man in the first Test, was unbeaten on 38 at the close with Crawley not out six.

Mail Cricket Editor