Date-stamped : 03 Nov93 - 21:21
Date: Sat, 1 May 1993 14:24:50 GMT
Australia vs England Amateur XI (1D - Radlett, England, April 30)

Matthew Hayden's run of 100s in debut matches continued on
Friday when he hit 151 to give him a great chance of becoming
Australia's newest Test opener The strapping Queensland
six-footer scored centuries on his maiden appearances for both
club and state Down Under And today, representing Australia
for the first time, he introduced himself with a chanceless
innings before finally holing out

Hopefully, England's professionals will offer a sterner
challenge than that presented by their amateur counterparts on
Friday But there was no disputing Hayden's potential as he
first took stock then launched into a barrage of blistering
shots which brought 10 fours and four sixes

Australia, having left old faithful Geoff Marsh back at home,
are committed to finding a new opening partner for Mark Taylor
They wasted no time in putting their two top candidates against
each other for the first match of a four-month tour And, solid
though 23-year-old Michael Slater looked while compiling 41,
left-hander Hayden, two years younger, stole the show while
leading Australia to a highly satisfactory total of 292 for
three from their 55 overs

It was even-steven during a stand of 92 but once Slater had
miscued to extra cover, Hayden started peppering the Hampshire
countryside with a steady stream of fluent drives and meaty
pulls Taylor, batting at No 3 today and captaining the side in
Allan Border's absence, contributed 53 to a partnership of 119
Hayden was undisputed star of the show, however, and looked set
to bat through the innings until picking out wide long-on during
the penultimate over

There was never a realistic chance of Australia's target
being threatened but the Amateur XI had their successes and the
tourists their moments of embarrassment Staffordshire's Steve
Dean, apparently known as The Terminator in Minor Counties
circles, crashed 48 at a run a ball while fast bowlers Craig
McDermott, Wayne Holdsworth and Brendon Julian were shaking the
rust from their systems The pace trio managed enough triumphs
between them, however to make the journey back to London
enjoyable, keeper Tim Zoehrer snapped up five catches and
Australia won by the comfortable margin of 94 runs

Australia beat Eng Amateur XI by 94 runs
<END> Contributed by vasa (Vasanthan Dasan@Central Sun COM)