Classy Collingwood Inspires England

Paul Collingwood guided England home against Eastern Province with a composed half-century as last-minute preparations for the World Cup began in earnest.

Collingwood, the Durham allrounder, guided his side away from the potential perils of losing three early wickets with 78, compiled at almost a run a ball.

While the stand-in captain, Alec Stewart, provided the chase with backbone in the township of Motherwell, with an unbeaten 55, it was Collingwood's freedom of stroke that ushered the win in with five wickets and 10 overs to spare.

Driving through midwicket and extra cover with regularity, he struck eight fours and a towering straight six off Craig Thyssen's medium-pace.

His flurry of boundaries provided momentum that Andrew Flintoff built upon once Nantie Hayward returned to take the edge as Collingwood advanced down the track.

The reply to Eastern Province's 173 for 9 was initially undermined by Hayward, Worcestershire's new overseas signing, who struck twice in his first two overs.

Working up a brisk pace, Hayward drew Nick Knight into a loose drive to extra cover from the fifth ball of the innings.

Then Craig White, employed as a makeshift opener, had his off stump sent cartwheeling by another searing delivery as England slipped to 9 for 2.

Michael Vaughan countered with two majestic cover-driven boundaries and a pulled six off Brent Kops. With the runs flowing, Stewart struck Hayward for three consecutive fours before Vaughan checked a drive at Botha's first ball to be caught at cover point.

Stewart subsequently bedded in to play second fiddle to Collingwood.

The captain, Nasser Hussain, missed the first of two warm-up matches, arranged to promote cricket in disadvantaged areas, but contrary to yesterday's claims White was included.

Set on their way by Andrew Caddick's impressive early spell, England chipped away at the hosts' batting until the tail wagged to great effect to guide their side away from the potential perils of 88 for 7.

In fact, Eastern Province looked down and out when Botha walked to the crease with half the side out in the 21st over but his unbeaten half-century was instrumental in gaining respectability.

Caddick struck twice early on, extracting considerable bounce on a ground which was constructed from mounds of dirt six months ago to finish with two for 26 from 10 overs.

Fellow seamers Matthew Hoggard and Flintoff also contributed on a two-paced surface and Ashley Giles claimed a wicket on his first competitive run-out since breaking a wrist in the build-up to the Adelaide Ashes Test in November.

After winning the toss, Eastern Province were undone by Caddick's bounce and movement as the first four wickets to fall all did so via outside edges.

A superb piece of fielding from Flintoff got rid of the compact Bruce Frederichs. Collecting the batsman's drive to his left off his own bowling, he swivelled and threw down the stumps to beat a desperate dive and usher Botha to the crease.

Another run-out saw Justin Kemp sacrificed during White's spell of 4-1-9-0, his first competitive bowl following just 20 minutes in the nets since tearing a side muscle in December.

White was included in the side despite the team management and the Yorkshire all-rounder saying he would not play at the new ground in one of South Africa's largest townships.

White, 33, last played in the fourth Ashes Test and was initially given a deadline to bowl here to prove his fitness for the tournament.

That was delayed by 48 hours until Thursday's fixture against Border in East London, however, before they changed their decision.

Only some lusty blows from Botha took the hosts past three figures. He shared stands of 28 with Craig Thyssen for the eighth wicket and an undefeated 50 - the highest partnership of the innings - for the last wicket with Kops, which gave the total respectability.

Giles ended the first of those by bowling Thyssen round his legs and Hayward skied Ian Blackwell's spin to deep midwicket.

However, Botha lifted Blackwell over the sightscreen and, after he was dropped by White at long-off off the same bowler in the last over, Kops hit another six from the final delivery of the innings.