Cricket: Stephenson's Cubs Leave Mark on Lara

Brian Lara's words came close to haunting him yesterday when a 19-year-old in his first full county season and the 39-year-old founder of the One-Test Wonder club defied his Test attack long enough to bring thoughts of an embarrassing defeat less than a week before the first Test.

After the first day's play the West Indies captain said he had "all respect for the MCC" but apart from Graham Thorpe, Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones their team was "disappointing". He added: "You would expect a little more competition."

Yesterday John Stephenson, whose one Test came against Australia in 1989, saw his no-hopers come within 30 runs of victory in a game that is traditionally seen as a country-house party for touring sides. "Not bad for a substandard team," he said.

After Lara's remarks he had spoken to the team, he said. "The only way you can respond to that sort of comment is with actions not words, and they responded really well."

Stephenson put on 74 with Alastair Cook, the apprentice Essex opener who captained England in the Under-19 World Cup last winter, and then 62 with Riki Wessels, the 18-year-old son of Kepler, who was making his first-class debut.

At 213 for five MCC appeared to have victory in sight, then Stephenson went for a reverse sweep. "It was a bit of indiscretion which turned the game," he admitted.

That ball, from Omari Banks, caught a top edge and looped to Lara. Two balls later Wessels was run out for 34 and apart from a brisk 25 from Hoggard that was the end of the game.