Date-stamped : 25 Oct95 - 18:29 Tour Match: England v Nicky Oppenheimer XI Randjiesfontein, 24 October 1995 About the match: Since South Africa`s return to the ICC, touring teams have tradi- tionally played their first match against the Nicky Oppenheimer XI. Oppenheimer is a member of the Oppenheimer family that con- trols the Anglo American gold mining empire, and , in return for a substantial donation to the UCB`s development program, has the privilege of hosting the first match of the tour on his private ground. The Oppenheimer XI is an invitation side, always including at least one Oppenheimer, a few promising young players (Toyana, Gibbs, Benkenstein), a couple of "golden oldies" (Kourie & Yachad) and current provincial players. The visitors always bat first. Contributed by dauphin (dauphin@aztec.co.za) ====> Prematch Stewart given test behind stumps ALL 16 members of the England party get a run-out when the tour- ists play their opening games of the South African tour back-to- back in the next 48 hours. The first is a traditional curtain-raiser today against Nicky Oppenheimer`s XI at Randfontein, followed tomorrow by a day-night fixture at Springs, home of Eastern Transvaal. Jack Russell keeps wicket in the first game, but Alec Stewart is given an early chance behind the stumps in the second match to test the right index finger which has been the source of several injury problems for the Surrey player in the past year. Ray Illingworth said: "We have taken medical advice on the finger but, in any case, Alec needs to do it at some stage on the tour." The tour manager indicated that the side selected for Springs was the full-strength one-day team, though other players will be brought in - as preparation for the World Cup - from home for the international limited-overs series against South Africa after the Tests. Oppenheimer, the billionaire head of the Anglo-American conglomerate, is away on business but as is the custom in these games - a South African equivalent of the Arundel fixture - a member of the family plays, in this case his son, Jonathan. The Oppenheimer team includes Steve Elworthy, Lancashire`s over- seas player next season, and two men with experience of English domestic cricket, Hugh Page, with Essex, and Roy Pienaar, with Kent. Geoffrey Toyana, from the Soweto township, who was on the MCC ground staff last summer, is also included. Michael Atherton said: "The players are more than ready for a game. We have put in four days of hard work in net practice and training and are keen now to move on to the real thing." England XI (v Oppenheimer XI, today): *Atherton, Stewart, Ram- prakash, Crawley, Smith, -Russell, Watkinson, Gough, Ilott, Il- lingworth, Malcolm. England XI (v Eastern Transvaal, tomorrow): *Atherton, -Stewart, Hick, Thorpe, Smith, Ramprakash, Cork, Gough, Martin, Illing- worth, Fraser. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com) ====> Match Report 'Ideal workout' as England begin South Africa tour with comfort- able win - Peter Deeley ENGLAND should not let the country-house atmosphere of this open- ing game delude them into thinking that the rest of their first South African Test tour in 30 years will be as genteel - or the opposition so moderate. On the manicured lawns of a ground carved out of the plains of the Midrand, the tourists put behind them five days of earnest practice and with some ease won their curtain-raiser against Nicky Oppenheimer`s XI by 112 runs. It is much too early to make judgments on individual performances but Richard Illingworth persevered in the face of some harsh long-handle treatment and finished with five for 48, taking three wickets in mid-innings in the space of nine deliveries. The quality of the home side was like the curate`s egg. There were players with first-class experience and others whose ability was outshone by the colourful yellow-and-black hues of the Op- penheimer blazers. It is a tradition here that Oppenheimer, whose family first made their billions from diamonds, stages the first game against the overseas visitors. He pays the United Cricket Board #25,000 for the honour, which goes toward the national development of cricket. Part of the mo- ney raised comes from the hospitality tents, where large quanti- ties of caviar, champagne and salmon were consumed by guests pay- ing #100 a head. It was the looped flight of the left-arm spinner Alan Kourie, now 44 and retired from the first-class game for seven years, which most troubled England`s openers On this occasion Oppenheimer senior was away on business and his son Jonathan led the team, sending down four overs of medium- paced `dobbers` for 18 runs - though he almost claimed the scalp of Alec Stewart, who must have been surprised to find a delivery so close to the stumps. Again by custom, England were allowed to bat first and the hospi- tality extended to the visitors embraced double lives for both Mike Atherton and Stewart. Atherton`s first escape came early in his innings, when Hugh Page, who will be remembered by Essex supporters for his year there in 1987, pounced on but failed to hold an edge in the gully off Henry Williams. When Page came on to bowl, Atherton drove his first two deliveries, both long-hops, through extra cover for four, 14 com- ing off the over. It was the looped flight of the left-arm spinner Alan Kourie, now 44 and retired from the first-class game for seven years, which most troubled England`s openers. Atherton skyed one very high to deep mid-on, where it was fum- bled. Then Stewart, on 27, first edged Kourie to gully, where Page put down another chance, following this with a lofted drive which went through the hands of long on. After the openers had put on 66, Page finally found his line with a pitched-up delivery which bowled Atherton as he went to drive. Stewart, however, went on to 74 by lunch, at which point he de- cided to stand down in order to allow his colleagues to enjoy the occasion. Mark Ramprakash could be said to have made the most of the moment with 48, including a six. John Crawley, on the other hand, will be disappointed that after a scratchy 14 he went to hit Dale Benkenstein through midwicket but popped up a leading edge, which Oppenheimer grabbed. Robin Smith - greeted in silence on his return to the country of his birth - will also have wanted to do better than his 12, which ended when he flashed at Williams outside off. At the end Jack Russell and Mike Watkinson ran up a swift 37, including three sixes, before England closed their innings. Devon Malcolm bowled Mandy Yachad with his fifth delivery but was less threatening thereafter and Geoffrey Toyana - on MCC`s ground staff last summer and top scorer here with 28 - pulled him through midwicket for four before skying Illingworth to mid-on. Illingworth had former Kent player Roy Pienaar leg before sweep- ing and the Oppenheimer innings sagged until Page, who had to leave the crease as soon as he got there, having forgotten his contact lenses, hit Illingworth for three sixes over the spinner`s head. At the end even Oppenheimer got into the act, lifting the Wor- cestershire player over the ropes and ending unbeaten on 21 be- fore Illingworth claimed the last wicket, Gough picking up Kourie at point. Ray Illingworth described the day as "an ideal work-out. Now for the real thing". He singled out his spinning namesake, who "has improved immeasurably over the last two years". England play Eastern Transvaal in a day-night limited-over game at Springs tonight. The team is: *Atherton, -Stewart, Hick, Thorpe, Smith, Ramprakash, Cork, Gough, Martin, Illingworth, Fraser. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)