Cricket

Michael Vaughan and Darren Maddy shared an opening stand of 151 as England A made 263 for four on the opening day of their three-day game against Gauteng in Johannesburg.

Skipper Vaughan and Maddy, who made 76 and 73 respectively, gave England the perfect start, but the loss of three wickets in the space of 20 balls put the brakes on.

It was the fall of Maddy's wicket which sparked the mini-collapse. He went leg before to left-arm wrist spinner Goolam Bodi.

Robert Key, normally an opener, had been forced to sit in the pavilion for 58 overs through Vaughan and Maddy's partnership.

After that, his stay in the middle was short before he touched a ball from Wayne Kidwell behind, having made just a single. It was a disappointment when Vaughan was next out, pulling a short ball from Bodi straight to the man posted at deep mid-wicket for that purpose.

Matt Windows and Andrew Flintoff were batting comfortably together until, when the partnership had added 46, Windows hit a full toss from Bodi straight to the covers and departed for 28.

Flintoff was still there at the close on 46, with Vikram Solanki (23no) lending elegant support.