New boy Craig Kieswetter opens up with 143

Craig Kieswetter's brutal hitting down the ground will have caught the attention of team director Andy Flower

10 April 2012

Craig Kieswetter smashed 143, including 14 fours and six sixes, on his England debut today against a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in Fatullah.

With vice-captain Paul Collingwood also helping himself to a quickfire century, England piled up 370 for seven from 50 overs.

The home side fell 112 short in reply on 258 for nine, with off-spinner Graeme Swann claiming four for 44.

Born and bred in South Africa, Kieswetter has a Scottish mother and only qualified for his adopted country last week. He won an immediate call-up to the senior side after impressing against them for the Lions in a warm-up match.

Today's 123-ball innings was full of brutal hitting, mostly down the ground, but it was also littered with good fortune. Kieswetter, who shared an opening stand of 127 with new captain Alastair Cook, was dropped five times, although two of them were after he had reached three figures.

The BCB XI certainly did not help themselves as they put down eight catches in all and botched two stumping opportunities.

Collingwood, however, needed no luck. Like Kieswetter, he hit six sixes in a carefree 109 that occupied only 74 deliveries.

Cook impressed on his return to the side, going at better than a run a ball before being trapped leg before for 56 by Alauddin Babu.

Kevin Pietersen could count himself unfortunate to be given out lbw to Babu first ball but Luke Wright needed three lives on his way to 25.

Tapash Baisya recovered from a poor start to take the wickets of Wright, Collingwood and Matt Prior.

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New boy Craig Kieswetter opens up with 143

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