Jonathan Trott joined the list of England Lions batsmen who will have time in the middle and runs on the board ahead of the two four-day matches against South Africa A when he made an unbeaten 79 on the third and last day of the warm-up game versus a Gauteng Invitational XI.
The match was abandoned as a draw for safety reasons with an electrical storm approaching fast, with Gauteng 120 for eight half an hour before the scheduled close.
Trott, relishing his role as captain, batted through the morning session in a partnership of 119 with Sam Billings, the Kent wicketkeeper who was drafted into the team for the second innings and marked his Lions debut with a sparky 67-ball half-century.
Billings retired at lunch but Trott batted on, ending with nine fours and a six flicked effortlessly over midwicket off Nono Pongolo in his 127-ball innings. It means that six of the Lions have scored at least a fifty going into the first game against South Africa A which starts in Paarl on Sunday.
Trott’s declaration on 176 for five half an hour after lunch gave the Lions bowlers another chance to tune up for the bigger tests ahead, and also provided a first opportunity of the tour to impress for Surrey’s Matt Dunn, Somerset’s Craig Overton and Kent’s Adam Riley.
But it was the old firm of Jack Brooks, Boyd Rankin and Mark Wood who made the early inroads to reduce Gauteng to 42 for three, the former helped by an athletic leg-side catch by Jonny Bairstow to dismiss Yassar Cook.
Dunn struck in his third over, bowling Wesley Landsdale with a beauty, and Liam Plunkett also took a wicket when he returned for a second spell after tea.
Then the spinners took over, with two wickets for Adil Rashid and one for Riley with his first ball, thanks to a stunning one-handed catch at midwicket by Alex Lees, as thunder started to rumble ominously around the ground.
Trott told ecb.co.uk: “I think we had a really good hit-out as a team, everyone got a go, we got what we needed and we’re looking forward to Cape Town.
“I’m feeling really good. It’s nice obviously to get some runs today and go to Cape Town with a bit of confidence and hopefully continue that in Paarl.
"It’s been an interesting challenge for me captaining as well, I haven’t done it for a while but I’ve always enjoyed it, so captaining for the first time has been nice and I’m looking forward to the next two games.”
Billings, who found out last night he would be batting today, told ecb.co.uk:“It was good to get some time in the middle and get some practice in.
“It was really enjoyable batting with Trotty as well. It was thoroughly enjoyable and I was just glad to get an opportunity.”
Justin Ontong will captain the South Africa A side in both the four-day and one-day series with the Lions.
Rory Kleinveldt will stand in for him for the first match, after Ontong was called into the senior Proteas side for their Twenty20 series against West Indies, which starts in Cape Town on Friday.
The squads are packed with experienced international cricketers and familiar names, as well as some youngsters of whom South Africa have high hopes.
On the South Africa A squad, Trott added: “I’ve always said there’s a lot of talent here in South Africa so it’s no surprise to see such a strong A-team picked against us. That makes it an exciting challenge for all our guys.”
South Africa A four-day squad: Justin Ontong (Nashua Cape Cobras, captain), Temba Bavuma (bizhub Highveld Lions), Gihahn Cloete (Chevrolet Knights), Theunis de Bruyn (The Unlimited Titans), Marchant de Lange (The Unlimited Titans), Beuran Hendricks (Nashua Cape Cobras), Reeza Hendricks (Chevrolet Knights), Rory Kleinveldt (Nashua Cape Cobras), Eddie Leie (bizhub Highveld Lions), Ryan McLaren (Sunfoil Dolphins), Chris Morris (bizhub Highveld Lions), Dane Piedt (Nashua Cape Cobras), Andrew Puttick (Nashua Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rudi Second (Chevrolet Knights), Stiaan van Zyl (Nashua Cape Cobras).
South Africa A one-day squad: Justin Ontong (Nashua Cape Cobras, captain), Theunis de Bruyn (The Unlimited Titans), Marchant de Lange (The Unlimited Titans), Dean Elgar (The Unlimited Titans), Simon Harmer (Chevrolet Warriors), Beuran Hendricks (Nashua Cape Cobras), Reeza Hendricks (Chevrolet Knights), Eddie Leie (bizhub Highveld Lions), Ryan McLaren (Sunfoil Dolphins), Chris Morris (bizhub Highveld Lions), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Mthokozisi Shezi (Nashua Cape Cobras), Stiaan van Zyl (Nashua Cape Cobras), Dane Vilas (Nashua Cape Cobras), Khaya Zondo (Sunfoil Dolphins).