Date-stamped : 12 Jan95 - 18:34 WSC 1994/95 : Australia "A" v England played at the SCG, Sydney (D/N), 12 January 1995 The South Australian trio of Greg Blewett, Shane George and Peter McIntyre were afterthoughts, but together the Croweaters ran Eng- land out of the World Series last night. Blewett`s unblemished 133-ball innings of 113 paved the way for the Australia A team`s 29-run win, but it would never have occurred without the out- standing efforts of paceman George (1-33) and leg-spinner McIn- tyre (3-45). Under the net run rate scheme, England could have lost the game and still qualified for the finals had they made 237 or more last night. Consequently, when Chris Lewis (22 not out), the latest in a long line of reinforcements, made a brief stand, tension throbbed through the near capacity crowd of 38,152. But Lewis and Angus Fraser (one not out), requiring just four from the last two balls to reach the all-important 237, found the task beyond them. Following the 161-run stand by Blewett and Michael Bevan (105), it required a run-strangling performance from George to hobble England as they leapt to 40 without loss in eight overs. In only his second game for the A team, paceman George, 24, restored ord- er, surrendering just two runs in his first two overs and 17 in a frugal six-over spell. On precisely the same cream strip where Australia drew the third Test and which was effectively seven days old, McIntyre, 28, en- joyed the success of wrist-spinning predecessors such as Robert Holland, Trevor Hohns and Shane Warne. In eight deliveries, he pitched into the rough and bowled Graeme Hick (35) around his legs and then lured Graham Thorpe (24) forward for a low catch at square leg by Paul Reiffel. When Merv Hughes (2-43) bowled two wides outside leg stump in his opening over and his first three yielded 23 runs, the A team was ready for the emergency ward. Ultimately, it was only Hughes (2- 43) who arrived there, limping off with a hamstring strain after earlier groin and calf muscle injuries, completing eight of his 10 overs. Logically, he will be replaced in Sunday`s first final by Queenslander, Greg Rowell. Oddly, not one of the South Australians was chosen for the A team`s first bracket of four games. Mcintyre made his initial ap- pearance for the side last night. The Ashes were already lost and now the World Series has gone with it for England. Their dispirited squad fly off to Melbourne for several days of recuperation before preparing for a four-day game in Bendigo from next Friday before the fourth and fifth Tests. Skipper Michael Atherton again pointed out that it is impossible to hide aging players in the field in a young man`s game. ``We were well-beaten by the A team,`` he conceded. ``All of our guys got in and got out,`` a reference to John Crawley top- scoring with 37 in an innings of 9-235. Australian A team captain Damien Martyn said of his team`s third qualifying win at the last gasp: ``It was a fantastic effort by the guys knowing it was our last chance.`` Opener Blewett, 23, a worthy man-of-the-match, admitted he had not received as much recognition as other young batsmen, which had kept him relaxed since his call-up. He was unaware where the first final would even be played. ``I just hope Mum and Dad video-taped it for me,`` he said. Blewett and a resurgent Bevan (105) were responsible for the A team totting up the highest score of the tournament, 5-264. Over in Adelaide, a former captain of South Australia`s Shef- field Shield team, Bob Blewett, was glued to his TV set, watching a gifted son grasp opportunities never imagined in his day. For almost three hours Blewett, 23, was the nerve-centre of the innings, Bevan glad to sail along on his coat-tails, the best ride he has enjoyed since the tour of Pakistan. Dropped at the wicket at 21 from off-spinner Shaun Udal, Bevan`s beautifully manipulative wristwork and timing off his right toe through mid-wicket returned. In such a mood there are few finer exhibitors. When Blewett wearily drove Lewis to Graham Thorpe high to long-on, Bevan carried on for his run-a-ball century, aided by England`s deteriorating fielding. Thanks :: Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald. Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.OZ.AU)