Date-stamped : 12 Dec94 - 11:03 England v AIS + CBCA, One-day Match played at North Sydney Oval, 10 December 1994 HUMILIATING DEFEAT FOR ENGLAND England stumbled to their most embarrassing defeat since arriving in Australia when they crashed by a five-wickets to a team of young cricketers. The final agony came when Angus Fraser, making his first appear- ance since his emergency call-up to the England party, was smashed for two successive sixes by Daniel Marsh - son of former Aussie test wicketkeeper Rodney. Chasing England's 231 for four, the youngsters of the Australian Institute of Sport Cricket Academy reached their total with 10 balls to spare. (This was supposed to be a three-day match 9-11 Dec. After the first day was washed out due to rain, two one day matches were arranged on 10 & 11 Dec.) England: Mike Gatting , Alec Stewart, Graeme Hick, Craig White, Steve Rhodes, Mike Atherton, Shaun Udal, Angus Fraser, Phil Tufnell, Joey Benjamin, Devon Malcolm. AIS: Corey Richards, Ryan Campbell, Rob Baker, Brad Hodge, Ian Harvey, Richard Allenby, Daniel Marsh, Nathan Ashley, Brett Swain, Shane Jurgensen, Mark Harrity, Matthew Nicholson. (Thanks : INtv, Phil Shead) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com) ====> more [The scheduled three-day match (9-11 Dec) between these sides was rescheduled to two one-day matches on 10, 11 Dec after play was abandoned on 9 Dec due to rain.] Adelaide Oval was the heartbeat of the nation`s cricket yester- day, but Brad Hodge and Ryan Campbell kept the pulse racing at North Sydney Oval. Victoria`s 19-year-old Hodge, the best young batsman outside the two Australian teams, unleashed a run-a-ball assault for an unbeaten 96 to complete the Australian Cricket Academy`s demoralising double-header defeat of the touring En- glishmen. But anything that Hodge did in yesterday`s six-wicket win - 7-245 to the Academy`s 4-249 - failed to diminish the positively ex- quisite 57-run performance of opener Ryan Campbell. The 22-year- old wicketkeeper-batsman from Perth detonated three sixes and five boundaries from just 45 balls in an 86-run opening stand with the Academy captain, Sydney left-hander Natahn Ashley (30). England`s coach Keith Fletcher said of his team`s dual disaster at the hands of a team, half of whom have yet to play first-class cricket: ``They are sitting down there, and they`re ashamed. I feel ashamed and I`m certain they do. They have been out- played, more so today than yesterday. Now they have to pick them- selves up and beat the Australia A team on Tuesday, and if they do, this will be forgotten. We have to win four of our next five World Series games to make sure we qualify for the finals.`` Anyone who believed the cream of Australia`s cricket was to be found in the strawberries at the Adelaide Oval over the weekend was seriously mistaken. That was clear from the Academy`s two wins, by five wickets with 10 deliveries to spare on Saturday and by six wickets with 6.5 overs remaining yesterday. How Zimbabwe - and England - would love to recruit players such as Hodge, fellow Victorian all-rounder Ian Harvey, South Aus- tralian left-arm paceman Mark Harrity and all-rounder Richard Al- lanby and NSW batsmen Ashley and Corey Richards. Yet, every year the Academy`s sponsorship by the Commonwealth Bank comes under closer scrutiny. Hodge is a special batsman, right up there beside Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Justin Langer. And he`s 19. If he is not in the top two sides in Australia, he is the best ``No 23`` in the world. But then Ron Barrasi always wore No 31. He is calm and sure without being arrogant. The good thing is that, un- like another 19-year-old in Ponting, Hodge seems not to be trou- bles by the wait for recognition. Asked about being chosen for the A team, Hodge said: ``Oh, yeah, in time. You have to perform. If any of us blokes can string a couple of big hundreds at this level or in the Shield, we obvi- ously have to be looked at. That`s the key... really big hun- dreds.`` If Michael Atherton (95 from 105 balls) failed to sate the hunger of the essentially English crowd - he has yet to hit a century on tour - then Campbell (57) and Hodge more than fulfilled the ex- pectations of all at the ground. Campbell, a 22-year-old Bayswater-Morley club batsman- wicketkeeper who was Tim Zoehrer`s understudy for the State posi- tion, was listed as No 8 on the Academy XI on Saturday and was not required to bat. Yesterday he was promoted to opener and played brilliantly, his sword-like flourish for six from Devon Malcolm (0-40) behind point into the Bill O`Reilly Stand a shot to cherish. A reporter from Perth suggested, amazed by his own temerity: ``It was a shot Kim Hughes used to play.`` Campbell fell victim to his headstrong ways after an 86-run stand with Ashley in 14 overs after which Hodge and Marsh (46 not out) added an untroubled 113 from 102 balls. In all, the Academy XI hit eight sixes in the innings. And for the weekend`s entertain- ment, there was not a cent`s admission. During the afternoon, a religious gathering echoed from the soundshell behind North Sydney Oval. England should have paid a visit and uttered a few prayers for their Ashes future before heading off to town. Adding to their concerns, fast bowler Darren Gough has a hamstring strain and batsman John Crawley`s torn calf muscle is worse than feared. Thanks :: Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald. Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.OZ.AU)