England ease to warm-up win

Ian Bell warms up for the ODI series with 79 © Getty Images

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Luke Wright forced his way into England's one-day selection strategy with a stunning display of strokeplay to help secure a comfortable 51-run opening warm-up victory over Canterbury.

The Sussex all-rounder hammered 42 off only 15 balls to help add 37 off the last three overs of their innings to guide the tourists to a competitive 295 for six before Canterbury were dismissed for 244 in reply.

It was a timely display for Wright, who was included in England's squad for the one-day series in Sri Lanka but failed to make the starting line-up for the five matches and needed a performance in one of England's two warm-up matches this weekend.

But given the opportunity, Wright seized it with both hands to propel England to a competitive total, with three fours and three sixes, to put him in the running for the two Twenty20 internationals and five one-day internationals.

Another player who took the chance to stake his claim was Lancashire seamer James Anderson, who claimed five wickets and a catch to ensure he also remained at the forefront of the selection debate.

Wright's cameo innings followed steady performances for most of England's top order in a match where both sides used 13 players, with only 11 allowed to bat.

Ian Bell had earlier been the mainstay of a successful outing for England's batsman, top-scoring with 79 off 89 balls as most of the top order spent valuable time at the crease.

They were given a flying start with Alastair Cook and Phil Mustard - who was preferred behind the stumps to Warwickshire's Tim Ambrose - completing a 73-run stand in only 15 overs.

Essex left-hander Cook, who is yet to play a Twenty20 international, dominated the stand while Mustard struggled to find his rhythm and was bowled for 22 trying to guide through mid-wicket.

Luke Wright finds the rope during his 42 © Getty Images

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Cook followed six overs later when he edged behind for 51 off 66 balls, setting the stage for Bell to help guide England towards a competitive total.

Bell forged a useful 88-run stand with Kevin Pietersen, who looked set to become the second batsman of the day to reach his half-century but fell two runs short when he clipped to mid-wicket after hitting six fours and a six.

Captain Paul Collingwood played on for 18 and England's hopes of reaching a competitive total seemed doomed when they lost Owais Shah and Bell to successive balls.

Shah was caught in the deep attempting quick runs in the final overs while Bell was caught at mid-on having hit nine boundaries during his innings.

Facing a daunting target Canterbury, whose line-up included New Zealand internationals Michael Papps and Peter Fulton, got off to a bad start with Anderson dismissing both openers to catches behind.

Fulton and Johann Myburgh added 81 for the third wicket to halt the slide, but a crucial run-out of Myburgh by Collingwood, for a determined 87, effectively ended the contest.

Anderson wrapped up the tail with three wickets in five overs as Canterbury, who are bottom of the table in New Zealand's domestic cricket, lost their last five wickets for 29 runs.

Just to underline their determination to succeed on this tour, England remained out in the middle and continued the match even after their triumph had been confirmed with Ryan Sidebottom having last man Andrew Ellis caught at mid-on by Bell, with the score on 261.