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By Charles Randall in Johannesburg

AN opening stand of 151 gave England A the platform they needed for a big score and likely victory, but it would be an exaggeration to say that much domination was achieved over Gauteng's bowling at the Wanderers yesterday.

This magnificent tall, green-roofed stadium, with a semi-circle of mature eucalyptus trees separating it from the championship golf course, boasted a slick grass carpet of an outfield and a pitch made for first-day batting.

Michael Vaughan felt that his eighth success with the toss in nine tour matches should give England the advantage, because cracks in the pitch began to widen before the end. ``It was a good toss to win and we've got to look to bat a long time, so we're delighted with the score we have,'' Vaughan said.

Yet England's tempo was perhaps too measured until some lively batting in the evening from Andrew Flintoff and Vikram Solanki had the fielders chasing and the bowlers adjusting.

Vaughan said: ``It was quite hard to pierce the field that they set on the off side so it was a question of being patient and waiting for the short ball, which on a slow wicket is easy to play.''

Vaughan, with 76, looked more fluent than Darren Maddy during their 58 overs together, and when he pulled a long hop into the hands of deep midwicket, he had batted a quarter of an hour longer than his partner while facing 18 balls fewer.

The sedate afternoon pace owed something to Gauteng's tactics. Wily off-spinner Derek Crookes packed his leg-side field and Ross Veenstra tended to slant his left-armers wide of the off stump, though one delivery was straight enough to hit Maddy in the unmentionables when he had reached 39.

Goolam Bodi made the breakthrough with his wrist spin when Maddy got in a tangle against a quicker delivery, and two rank bad balls accounted for Vaughan and Matt Windows.

Robert Key's failure was depressing for his sequence of low scores was extended by a dubious decision; Gauteng's appeal for caught behind was uncommonly half-hearted.

Day 2: Flintoff on right road to place in World Cup

By Charles Randall in Johannesburg

THE VALUE gained from the £300,000 that the England and Wales Cricket Board spend on their A tours would not be worth a cent if the England selectors ignore the claims of Andrew Flintoff for this summer's World Cup when they announce their squad of 19 on Monday.

Flintoff's 145 against Gauteng at Wanderers yesterday, a career best, was another notch on his successful all-round tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa; more importantly, his maturity with bat and ball generally would have answered reservations about his inclusion that existed at the end of last season at Lancashire.

Recently, Andy Whittall, the Zimbabwe A captain, spoke admiringly of Flintoff's ability to intimidate bowlers with his power. Few England-qualified batsmen fall into that category, and few have the talent of this tyro.

The old Flintoff - stiff as a concrete post after a few overs of seam-up because of inflamed discs in his back - has disappeared for the time being. His confidence has returned, and, for a man approaching 17 stone in weight, his standing back-flip in the outfield is a sight to behold.

Against Gauteng yesterday, England increased the tempo markedly after a rather moribund opening day. Flintoff unzipped a sumptuous cover-driven boundary for his fifty in the morning's first over and he cruised onwards to his hundred, the third of his career, off only 140 balls.

He received support from wicketkeeper Chris Read, who helped him put on 91 in 19 overs before playing across one that slanted into him. The declaration at 447 for nine was formidable.

Flintoff, at the age of 21, had always been philosophical about his chances of a World Cup place through the tour. He said: ``All I'm looking forward to is my next game, but in the longer term, if you play in the World Cup, especially in England, it's a dream. Time is on my side.''

Phil Neale, the England A manager, said: ``I think he's done enough on this tour to show that he's now a very talented all-rounder.

``He has looked very secure for us when he's had to play in a defensive mode and he has also shown a good head on his shoulders when the field has been set back and he's had to knock the ball around.

``The big bonus is the fact he has been able to bowl, and in the key one-day games he has bowled very well.''

Flintoff did not give a chance, the biggest scare being a flat, pulled six off Wayne Kidwell that rocketed into the perimeter hoardings uncomfortably close to square-leg's hands.

Flintoff passed his previous highest, 124 at Northampton last summer, and on 134 he was 'bowled' by Zander de Bruyn off a no-ball. The South African then stopped a fearsome straight drive from Flintoff with his shin in his next over and, having hobbled in to bowl his next ball, looked relieved to see another straight drive clear his head for six.

With every fielder on or near the boundary, Flintoff holed out next ball, his job accomplished.

Day 3: Win in sight as Swann strikes

By Ralph Dellor in Johannesburg

ENGLAND A enforced the follow-on after Graeme Swann's off-spin tore apart Gauteng on the third afternoon of their four-day contest yesterday.

The tourists were put in firm control after the Northamptonshire bowler took the last four Gauteng wickets in 16 balls for two runs.

At the close, Gauteng were on 103 for one in their second innings - still 82 runs behind - on a deteriorating pitch.

England skipper Michael Vaughan had declared at 447 for nine yesterday to leave Gauteng needing 298 to make the tourists bat again.

Having resumed on 130 for three they were dismissed for 262 as Swann picked up five for 77. There were two wickets apiece from fellow spinner Dean Cosker and Glamorgan team-mate Darren Thomas.

Zander de Bruyn provided some resistance with a top score of 62 but otherwise the Gauteng batsmen struggled to cope with the England spinners.

The follow-on was enforced - a decision which was immediately justified when Thomas produced a shooter with the first ball of the second innings to trap Sven Koenig lbw for a duck.

Adam Bacher (46 not out) and Andre Seymore (51 not out) then put on the brakes and England failed to take another wicket despite using seven bowlers - even Swann failed to make further inroads.

When play resumes today, England A will have a minimum of 90 overs to take the nine remaining wickets.

Day 4: Record run maintained as Cosker collects five

By Charles Randall in Johannesburg

ENGLAND A fly to Cape Town this morning for the final match of their long southern Africa tour, a five-dayer starting on Thursday. Not until the weekend will the true calibre of Michael Vaughan's party be known.

On this tour, more than any other, realistic assessment of players has been difficult and in some cases impossible. England's 10-wicket win over a Gauteng XI with a session to spare at Wanderers yesterday improved the overall picture slightly as Andrew Flintoff, definitely - Dean Cosker, Graeme Swann and Darren Thomas perhaps - advanced their careers another click in the ratchet.

Cosker picked up five wickets yesterday with steady, intelligent left-arm spin, having broken the overnight stand between Adam Bacher and Andre Seymore, who increased their partnership to 140 during the morning. However, if those two had been dismissed the previous evening - two difficult snicked catches going astray, both off Flintoff's seamers - a fragile Gauteng side might have been thoroughly demolished.

England otherwise did everything expected of them in heat and high altitude, and they extended the unbeaten sequence of England A first-class matches on tour to 28, including 15 victories. The last defeat was in South Africa five years ago.

The most persistent rain for around 30 years in Zimbabwe, which restricted practice and reduced playing time, and opposition lacking in international quality perhaps devalued the first seven weeks of the tour. In Cape Town, the opposition will be undeniably strong.

Gauteng, at half-strength, were little better than mediocre. South Africa named two players from yesterday's side in their World Cup 19 - Derek Crookes and Nic Pothas, the wicketkeeper and the all-rounder Crookes will again be captain in Cape Town, but Gauteng began to wobble once England had accumulated a bulky first innings total.

Gauteng could have done with Andrew Hall taking the new ball and he must have been close to selection for the President's XI, the best side available without players from Border and Western Province, who meet in the provincial championship final this week.

It was Hall, 23, who was nearly killed last October when a callous robber fired six shots at him while he was using a bank cashpoint in Johannesburg. One shot passed though his hand and another grazed his cheek.

A slow Wanderers strip began to take spin on Saturday afternoon, and Swann suddenly picked up a cluster of wickets, dislodging the final four batsmen in 16 balls for one run. Gauteng then lost Sven Koenig off the first ball of their follow-on when a well aimed seamer from Thomas shot through low to pin the left-hander plumb in front.

The promise of fun did not materialise because the cracks in the pitch did not really widen as much as Vaughan had hoped, but Cosker in particular bowled with the patience expected of county professionals.

UCB President's XI (v England A at Cape Town, March 4-8): *D N Crookes, H H Dippenaar, M L Bruyns, C C Bradfield, M van Jaarsveld, F C Brooker, J M Kemp, S Abrahams, -L Masikazana, D H Townsend, M Hayward.