Eng start with win

England started their tour of South Africa with a crushing 185-run over the Diamond Eagles franchise team in a 50-overs match in Bloemfontein on Friday.

Captain Andrew Strauss hit one of three half-centuries as England piled up 294 for seven, taking advantage of good batting conditions after being sent in to bat.

Stuart Broad struck with the second ball of the Eagles' innings and the home team never recovered, crashing to 109 all out in 26.2 overs. Five England bowlers took two wickets each.

Strauss hit 72 and shared a second wicket stand of 123 with Jonathan Trott (85) before Eoin Morgan slammed a quick 67 not out off 52 balls as the innings ended with a flurry of scoring.

Eagles opening bowler CJ de Villiers took an early wicket when he bowled Joe Denly for three but Strauss and Trott put the tourists in command.

Strauss and Trott were content to play themselves in as they compiled their century partnership before lifting the tempo.

Strauss made his runs off 85 balls with seven fours and a six before holing out to square leg against the medium-paced Ryan Bailey.

Trott took 81 balls to reach his fifty but needed only another 23 deliveries to reach 85, with seven fours, before he was bowled by Bailey when he missed an attempted pull.

Morgan was mainly responsible for England scoring 57 runs in the batting Powerplay, which was taken from the 43rd to the 47th over. But he rode his luck, surviving two dropped catches.

Eagles opening batsman Morne van Wyk edged the second ball of the innings from Broad to Graeme Swann in the slips.

Promising left-hander Rilee Rossouw hit four fours in making 17 off 10 balls but was caught behind off the first ball of Broad's second over.

James Anderson, Sajid Mahmood, Swann and Paul Collingwood also took two wickets each as the Eagles collapsed.

England were to play a second warm-up match against the Warriors franchise in Kimberley yesterday before returning to Bloemfontein for a Twenty20 match against South Africa A on Tuesday ahead of two Twenty20 internationals and five one-day internationals against South Africa.