Lancashire pacer Mitchell Stanley took three wickets in as many overs against South A today (May 22), dismissing three of the side's top four, all of whom are capped at senior international level.
Stanley tore through South Africa A's top-order after the Lions were skittled for 157 at Arundel. His first victim was Tony di Zorzi, who got an edge through to Ben McKinney at slip having hit Stanley for back-to-back fours at the start of the over.
When Stanley returned to bowl his next over, he trapped Jordan Hermann lbw with a ball pushed across the left-hander. Hermann's wicket, after scoring a run-a-ball six, left South Africa A at 32-2 in the sixth over, with No.4 Zubayr Hamza in the middle with other opener, Lesego Senokwane. Hamza, however, could only survive three balls of Stanley's next over before he became the third wicket to fall.
Bowling over the wicket, Stanley sent down a full and fast delivery which beat Hamza for pace and pegged back his off stump.
Stanley is a regular in England Lions squads and travelled with them to Australia over the winter. Following that tour, he was awarded an ECB development contract for 2026, along with fellow raw pacers Josh Hull, Eddie Jack and Tom Lawes – all of whom, apart from Hull, are also in the Lions squad facing South Africa A.
Lions hit back after first innings collapse
South Africa's troubles in reply to the Lions' 157 didn't end with Stanley. After Stanley's three-wicket burst, Jack chipped in with his own flurry, taking two wickets in two overs. He clean bowled Senokwane for 14, before trapping Jason Smith lbw. Somerset seamer Alfie Ogborne also chipped in with a wicket, to leave South Africa reeling at 104-6.
South Africa A fielded a side with international calibre against the Lions, who only included one internationally capped player in their squad. All of the visitors' top four have been capped at the senior international level, with the majority of their side having played white-ball international cricket.
In England Lions' innings, 14 times across T20Is and ODIs took figures of 4-15 in his 9.5 overs, while Dane Paterson and Nqobani Mokoena chipped in with 2-35 and 3-50 respectively. South Africa A finished the day's play on 184-7, leading the Lions by 27 runs.
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