Date-stamped : 05 Jan94 - 18:37 England-A vs Natal, 01-04Jan 1994, Durban, D4 Report ====> Day 4, 4 Jan 94 England A have lost their first match on tour in South Africa by an innings and 57 runs against Natal. Hugh Morris's side were bowled out for 285 after starting the final day on 183-3 with in form John Crawley and Mal Loye at the crease. But Crawley added 13 to his overnight total before edging to slip and with him vanished England's hopes of salvaging a draw. Crawley top-scored with 81 but otherwise the performance was poor. Record so far on this tour is Won 7 Lost 1 for all matches and Won 3 Lost 1 for 4-day matches. ====> Day 4, MORE LOYE MARKS TIME BUT ENGLAND LOSE RECORD (Thanks: The Guardian) The England A team lost their impressive unbeaten record here yesterday. After eight wins in eight matches - the best by a touring representative English side - Natal beat them by an in- nings and 57 runs. Having started the day on 182 for three they fell to 285 all out by mid-afternoon. Phil Neale, the England team manager, chose his own quiet way of picking over the wreckage after four disappointing days at the Kingsmead ground. He has given the players a day off from prac- tice when they arrive in Pretoria today and did not appear unduly perturbed. Defeat was inevitable from the moment John Crawley, who had added 13 to his overnight 68, chose to cut savagely at Dale Benkenstein and gave the 19- year-old his maiden first-class wicket. Mal Loye, who appears to be growing in confidence as the tour progresses occupied the crease for 4 and a half hours for his 68 but the rest of England's established batsmen put up little resistance and were no match for the guile and accuracy of Derek Crookes, an off-spinner who surely has a big future. Martin Bicknell, his injured side heavily padded and using a runner, batted determinedly on his final appearance on this tour before he flies home for a six-week rest from cricket. He delayed Natal's victory celebrations for almost 1 and a half hours, making 22 runs before Crookes's arm ball flattened his stumps. Moments later, the England innings was over. Most of the wickets fell to the 24-year old Crookes and the 22- year old fast bowler Lance Klusener who, on his first-class de- but, finished with four for 61 from 21.5 overs. Malcolm Marshall, the Natal captain, did not take a wicket. After the defeat, Neale said "I'm not one for shouting at them and I'm not a fan of having things like naughty-boy nets. I've already spoken individually to the players about their dismissals but its too easy just to dissect those dismissals and simiply point out the reasons for them. "The interesting thing for me is that this happened when for the first time on this tour we had to face a large total. I want the players to remember how they feel. Losing makes you appreciate how much nicer it is to win and I hope it strengthens their resolve not to let it happen again on this tour," he said. The run of low scores by Mark Lathwell is clearly bothering the Somerset youngster and his lack of form is worrying for a team that, more than some, is looking to the openers to give the in- nings a solid start. Lathwell has another chance of making a de- cent score in the next four-day match against Northern Transvaal, starting on Friday. Jimmy Cook, the Transvaal captain who played briefly with Lathwell at Somerset, thinks Lathwell should be batting at four or five in the order, rather than opening, where his flawed foot- work would not be so exposed to a good bowler using the new ball, and John Crawley has already expressed his desire to open the in- nings. That could lead to a rise up the order for Alan Wells, where the greater responsibility may curb some of his rasher instincts against the spinners. He was caught at mid-on for 20 in this in- nings. The England fielding is also a cause for concern. They dropped four more catches in Natal's only innings and have been dropping chances throughout the tour. McCague is the only available spe- cialist slip fielder, yet he has not been used in that position. Nevertheless, Morris, who won the toss and sentNatal into bat, was optimistic. "Defeat hurts, but this is a learning tour and things have been going extremely well. We must bounce back straight away," he said. Contributed by R.J.M.Head (r.head@ic.ac.uk)