Cricket:England may have targeted Ireland international Boyd Rankin for his bowling skills, but it was his batting that frustrated the world number one side on the first day of their game against the ICC Combined XI in Dubai today.
After Stuart Broad had tore through the top order of the Associate selection side, including the Irish opening pair of skipper William Porterfield (one) and Paul Stirling (seven), it was left to the lower order to fire them to a decent score in their first innings.
From a position of 90 for six at one stage, the ICC XI would eventually go on to make 281, with Namibian Christi Viljoen (98) and Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad (51) doing most of the damage.
Called up recently for the upcoming England Lions tour, the 6ft 8in Rankin also got in on the act, making 43 from 76 balls, his highest first-class score.
The Derry man enjoyed a 96-run partnership with Viljoen for the ninth wicket, before falling to James Anderson when England took the new ball.
Viljoen then fell agonisingly short of a first first-class century when Broad took his wicket in the next over to finish with figures of four for 46 on his return to the England side following a shoulder injury.
England reached 16 without loss at stumps on day one of the three-day game.
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