Bopara bottles practice run as South Africa continue to win
ENGLAND batsman Ravi Bopara yesterday experienced the embarrassment of securing just three runs en route to getting out when playing for Gloucestershire against South Africa.
Bopara’s county side Essex were without a fixture this week so following a request from England national selector Geoff Miller, the batsman (right) represented Gloucestershire in an attempt to gain match practice before England’s one-day series against the Proteas but instead underperformed as the tourists won by three wickets.
South Africa retained only Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir from the team which defeated England in the third and final Test of the series on Monday, but they regardless restricted Gloucestershire to 261 runs in the 50-over match at Bristol.
The day was elsewhere a greater success for former England international Marcus Trescothick, of Somerset, who hit the 50th first-class century of his career against Sussex.