OXFORDSHIRE paceman Matt Taylor has been helping England’s batsmen practice for their one-day international series in New Zealand.

The 18-year-old former Great and Little Tew seamer, bowled captain Alastair Cook and rearranged Jonny Bairstow’s stumps in the nets before the second game in Napier, which England won by eight wickets.

Taylor, now a full-time pro with Gloucestershire, returns to playing for Havelock North, while England face the Black Caps in the series decider in Auckland tomorrow (1am).

  • OXFORDSHIRE’S Miles Hammond was powerless to stop England Under 19s falling to a 5-0 whitewash defeat in their one-day international series against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town.

The 17-year-old off-spinnerwas dismissed for six in England’s 210-8, and then conceded 31 runs from 4.3 overs as South Africa cruised to 211-1. l

  • OXFORDSHIRE’S Linsey Smith took 1-3 off five overs as MCC hammered Essex by 123 runs to book their place in the final of the Sport Arabia Women’s Under 19 ARCH Trophy in Abu Dhabi.

The victory means MCC won all three of their Group A games, and now face Sussex in the decider at the Zayed Stadium tomorrow.