VAUGHAN LEADS FROM FRONT IN FIRST WARM UP MATCH OF WEST INDIES TOUR 2/3/2025

Michael Vaughan made a hundred before lunch to provide England with a rocket-fuelled start to their tour of the Caribbean. There were also half centuries for Nasser Hussain and Chris Read as England were bowled out for 320 by Jamaica at Sabina Park. Matthew Hoggard then took two wickets as the hosts stumbled to 25 for two in reply.

Vaughan dominated the morning session, rattling off a series of boundaries and looking very much at home in his first innings in the Caribbean as England captain.
As expected, England left Simon Jones out of the reckoning, even though it was agreed to rob the match of its first-class status by allowing both sides to field 12 players, although only 11 can bat or field. This was to allow England to get as many players involved in advance of the first Test that begins on March 11th with only one more three-day game to come before then.
"I don't think playing 12 players devalues the game, and my understanding is that it can still be regarded as a first-class match anyway," said Vaughan.
"I don't care whether it's first class or not - all I care about is getting as much out of the game as possible.
"We only have six days cricket before the Test, and playing 12 gives us the option of taking a look at the extra man - it's the way tours are going."

Having won the toss, Vaughan made full use of the opportunity to get acclimatised. He had been in good form towards the end of the Sri Lankan tour and picked up here from where he had left off. Some of the other batsmen, however, found life more testing.
Marcus Trescothick took five overs to get off the mark. Having withstood the return of Jermaine Lawson to senior cricket after a back injury and remedial work on his action, Trescothick then fell to Evon McInnis, losing his off-stump in the ninth over of the innings. There was a suggestion that the ball might not have got up as much as Trescothick expected.
Mark Butcher followed Trescothick back to the pavilion in the next over when attempting to force a ball from Dwight Mais though the off side. Unfortunately for Butcher, the ball flew to Bevon Brown in the gulley.
Nasser Hussain joined Vaughan and these two took the score along from 42 for two to 154 for two at lunch, from just 25 overs. Vaughan's timing and strokeplay was immaculate, bringing up his hundred in the final over before the interval. Hussain was equally assured, using his feet to lift the off-spin of Brown for two straight sixes.
Vaughan fell just two overs after the interval, playing on after being deceived by a slower ball from Lawson. Hussain had reached 66 when he was lbw to Brown as he tried to sweep. Andrew Flintoff also fell lbw to a ball from McInnis which kept low after only 12 minutes at the crease.
Graham Thorpe had spent 26 overs making 34 when he came down the wicket to off-spinner Philip Keating and was caught at midwicket, and Ricky Clarke could not make an impact, caught at slip shortly after the tea interval.
But Chris Read then ensured that Vaughan's efforts earlier in the day did not go to waste, making an aggressive 61 with nine fours and two sixes before he was stumped off Brown. As the hosts replied to England's 320, a telling spell from Matthew Hoggard accounted for Brenton Parchment (caught behind) and Donovan Pagan (caught and bowled). But the day belonged primarily to England's captain.

"You always wonder when you start a tour how long it will take to get in good rhythm," said Vaughan afterwards.
"I've played okay in the nets, but not brilliantly. But the rhythm was there from the start today.
"The pitch didn't do much, but a few deliveries kept a bit low. It was a typical Caribbean pitch, and there were a few loose deliveries which I latched on to."






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