Date-stamped : 23 Aug94 - 22:30
India U-19 v Development of Excellence XI (North)
played at Oundle, 20-22 Aug 94

"Headingley Test boost for Indians" by Gerald Howat

India Under-19s completed their trio  of  matches  against  three
different  Development  of  Excellence  XIs  when they defeated a
Development (North) XI by six wickets at Oundle yesterday.

The Development XIs represent the cream  of  youth  talent  below
England  Under-19  level.   John Abrahams, the Development coach,
said: "They provide an opportunity for such players to be  tested
against international competition."

Among the highlights of the three matches was a century by Anurag
Singh  of  King  Edwards,  Birmingham,  and  the  seam bowling of
Orlando Le Fleming, of Devon.

Many of the Development squad already play for county second  XIs
and  others,  such as Andrew Bairstow, of Woodhouse Grove School,
would  greatly  benefit  from  such  an  opportunity.   Rossall's
Patrick  McKeown   recently  made  the  most  of  his chance with
two half- centuries for Worcestershire's second XI.

Both of them batted well at Oundle along with  Nathan  Wood,  who
played  for  England  Under-19s last year. Wood pluckily returned
from hospital, after being hit on the head, to make 87  not   out
before  declaring the Development first innings closed at 305 for
eight. India declared at 157 for nine after avoiding the  follow-
on.

Andrew Flintoff then followed up his first innings 64 with 38  as
the  Development XI made 164 for seven, leaving India a target of
313 at four an over.

The first four Indian batsmen all scored  half-centuries  as  the
tourists,  without  any  sense  of  urgency, moved comfortably to
their seventh victory.

With the tour more than half over,  India  play  England  in  the
second  Test  at  Headingley  tomorrow. India won the first Test.
The tourists gave their newly-arrived replacement seamer,   Javed
Zaman, his first piece of action at Oundle.

(Thanks : Daily Telegraph)

<END> Contributed by John.Hall (John@jhall.demon.co.uk)