Strauss stars in England win

Strauss: In fine form

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Tour Match
Kimberley
Warriors 254-5 (A Jacobs 83 no, D J Jacobs 50) v England 256-2 (A J Strauss 117 no, J L Denly 82)
England beat Warriors by 8 wkts

Andrew Strauss hit an unbeaten 117 to help England continue their preparations for the one-day series against South Africa with an eight-wicket win over the Warriors in Kimerbley.

The tourists easily chased down the home side's total of 254-5 thanks to a fine century from their skipper that contained 10 fours and a six.

Joe Denly made 82 in an opening stand of 175 with Strauss, who had already started the tour in fine fashion with 72 against the Eagles on Friday.

Eased home

Alastair Cook (34) helped put on 53 for the second wicket as England eased home with 9.1 overs to spare at the De Beers Diamond Oval.

They will have benefited from the workout, though, particularly after coasting to a 185-run opening win in Bloemfontein.

The Warriors certainly proved stronger opposition, managing a respectable score after winning the toss and choosing to bat first.

It was a pair of Jacobs who cracked England's bowlers around, Arno making an excellent, run-a-ball 83 while namesake Davey made an even 50.

The duo shared a partnership of 130 for the fourth wicket after the innings had threatened to subside following a solid start from openers Justin Kreusch (32) and Riaan Jeggels (30).

Adil Rashid - one of three changes to a team that was without the injured seam duo of Stuart Broad and Graham Onions - eventually ended a 60-run alliance before fellow spinner Graeme Swann snared two quick wickets.

However from 93-3 the Jacobs' took over right through to the 45th over before Davey fell to Sajid Mahmood straight after reaching his half-century.

Swann, easily the pick of the bowlers with final figures of 3-26, had Craig Thyssen stumped in the closing stages but Arno remained unbeaten having hit 10 fours in his 120-ball knock.

Aggressive response

England's response was to come out and attack with the bat themselves, the first 50 runs coming up inside the ninth over.

Strauss won the race to 50, reaching it in 51 deliveries in comparison to Denly's 61, and as the equation became easier the pair upped the pace.

Denly clobbered two sixes before perishing trying to clear the ropes again, instead getting himself caught out at long-on by Siyamthanda Ntshona off the bowling of Darrryl Brown.

Cook came out and made sure the run-rate didn't drop, though, before Paul Collingwood, who had earlier proved expensive with the ball, leaking 46 runs from his six overs, made 12 not out to see England over the finishing line.