England Lions were skittled by South Africa A in the first match of their 50-over series in Leicestershire, bowled out in just 26.1 overs.
The Lions named a strong squad for the series earlier this week, including James Rew and Rehan Ahmed after they had been released from the England side. Also in the squad and playing XI at Leicester for the first ODI was Ashes seamer Matthew Potts, as well as up-and-coming stars Jordan Cox (fresh from sitting on the sidelines of RCB's IPL win), Asa Tribe and James Coles.
South Africa also named a strong group, including a powerful bowling attack which included Gerald Coestzee and Kwena Maphaka. Also included was Ottneil Baatman, while Tony Di Zorzi was selected as an opening batter.
Lions bowled out for 119 in opening match
Opening the batting after he didn't make the final XII for the Lord's Test, Rew gloved the first boundary of the innings off Coetzee just past the keeper's glove and down to the fine-leg rope. It was a measured start by the openers - Rew and Ben McKinney - who put on 13 in the first four overs. Rew chopped on the ball after hitting his first four of the game, playing a non-committal shot and getting an inside edge onto the stumps.
McKinney followed an over later, playing an expansive shot to a back of a length ball from Mapahaka, brushing the ball with the toe-end of his bat through to the keeper. That brought Cox to the crease who launched a counter attack, bashing a six over backward-square off Coetzee.
Tribe was dismissed trying to upper-cut Maphaka, before Cox edged Coetzee behind in the next over to leave the Lions 50-4 at the end of the ninth over of the innings.
From there, the procession continued. Rehan got a thick-edge on a ball from Ottneil Baartman which lobbed into the hands of second slip, before Ben Mayes fell chipping a ball into the leg side, giving Baartman his second. Mason Crane, called up to the Lions squad eight years after his most recent international appearance, was out for a two-ball duck, gloving the ball behind as he tried to get his hands out the way of a ball from Baartman.
The Lions had also lost Potts by the time they scraped to three figures, eight wickets down, with Coles the last point of resistance. Henry Crocombe hit three fours to get the side up to the hundred mark, before he was stumped dancing down the wicket to Bjorn Fortuin. Coles was the last wicket to fall, leaving England all-out for 119 in just 26.1 overs.
South Africa A chased the target easily, one wicket down with 183 balls remaining. Rubin Hermann finished unbeaten on 57, with De Zorzi the only wicket to fall, bowled by Crocombe.
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