England hold the edge against Staffs youngsters
Staffordshire under-17s have taken some useful lessons for the future from two games against the England Physical Disability Cricket Team.
The county youngsters took on international opposition in T20 games at Cannock Cricket Club, losing the first and tieing the second.
Staffordshire coach Chris Guest said: "Hopefully the lads will have taken something from the discipline that the England PD team showed, their professionalism and the way the go about their work, as well as realising that they need to score more runs in the middle overs of the game."
England, who were warming up for their forthcoming series in Bangladesh at the end of the month, won the opening game by eight wickets, making 135-2 from 17.2 overs after Staffordshire had posted 131-6.
Alex Hammond, of Hampshire, top scored for the winners with 55 while vice-captain Callum Flynn (Lancashire) added 49 not out.
Scott Winnington, of Little Stoke, led the way for the county side with 33 with Dan Fowler-Hill adding 25.
Fred Bridges was the pick of the England PD bowling attack with figures of 3-27 from his allotted four overs.
The second game proved to be a closer affair with England making 128-8.
Abbots Bromley's Oliver Roberts was the pick of the county bowlers with 3-22, ably supported by Hammerwich's Shoaib Akhtar (2-22), West Bromwich Dartmouth's Amit John (2-18) and Kynpersley's Louis Washington (1-13).
Staffordshire made 128-9 in reply to tie, with Lancashire's Jordan Williams impressing with the ball for England as he took 3-8 including a double wicket maiden in the 19th over.
Local England star Matt Askin, from Albrighton, who teaches at Ounsdale School in Wombourne, took a sharp catch at mid-wicket to dismiss Winnington for 28 earlier into the innings.
Guest said: "I did a bit of work with the England PD squad over the winter with their fielding so I had an idea what they would be like.
"But it was an unknown quantity for the lads. Not a lot of them would have played against England before and I think they were surprised how well they batted in the first game.
"We lacked a bit of discipline in our batting but we adapted well with our fielding and bowling in the second game."
