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Michael Vaughan will miss the first month of the domestic season, the England & Wales Cricket Board has announced. The ECB awarded Vaughan the break following England’s intensive winter tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa.This means he will play just two matches for his county, Yorkshire, before his England duties resume at the end of May, in the first Test against Bangladesh at Lord’s. But most other counties will be delighted by the amount of cricket their centrally contracted players will be able to play. James Anderson, who was a lost soul for much of England’s campaign, has been freed up to play in all matches for Lancashire, where he will attempt to rediscover his form and fortune.Vaughan, meanwhile, will compete for Yorkshire in the County Championship against Northamptonshire at Headingley on May 6, and will be available for their clash against Leicestershire from May 11. But then he will join his England side once more to play against Bangladesh and to compete in the Ashes series which starts in July.Some of the other centrally contracted players will also be allowed some time off. The left-arm spinner, Ashley Giles, will sit out of Warwickshire’s opener against the MCC. Steve Harmison, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick and Graham Thorpe will all concentrate on the County Championship, although they will be permitted to play in the C&G one-day tournament.It is likely that Mark Butcher will miss the start of the season after a wrist operation, but will then be available for Surrey. Andrew Flintoff, who is expected to sit out the Bangladesh Tests, can play for Lancashire once he has made a full recovery from his ankle surgery. The pace bowlers Anderson, Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard will be available for all of their counties’ games.Availability of centrally contracted players
James Anderson
Fully available for all county cricketMark Butcher
Available once fully fitAndrew Flintoff
Available once fully fitAshley Giles
Championship matches from April 13 and C&G Trophy on May 17Steve Harmison
Championship matches and C&G Trophy on May 17Matthew Hoggard
Fully available for all county cricket from April 13Geraint Jones
Available for all county cricket from April 17Simon Jones
Fully available for all county cricketAndrew Strauss
Championship matches from April 20 and C&G Trophy on May 17Marcus Trescothick
Championship matches and C&G Trophy on May 4 and May 17Graham Thorpe
Championship matches and C&G Trophy on May 17Michael Vaughan
County championship matches on May 6, May 11 and C&G Trophy on May 17

Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, came to the post-match press conference smelling of victory – champagne to be precise – and declared that his team were playing their best one-day cricket in a long time. He also used the occasion to strongly endorse the concept of Super Series despite the hopelessly one-sided nature of the inaugural affair.Australia’s desperation to win the series has been evident throughout the week and once again their collective effort shone much brighter than the uneasy assembly of a galaxy of stars drawn from seven different nations. “All through the week, it has been a big statement from us,” Ponting said. “I have always said that if we can focus on things we can do, we can compete with any team in the world.”Ponting said his team had looked forward to this series for a long time and was proud of the way his players had stood up to the challenge. When it was pointed out to him that it hadn’t been much of a challenge, Ponting justified the relevance of the concept.”It is still a great concept,” Ponting said when asked if the 3-0 result had hurt the credibility of the tournament. “I hope the result doesn’t prove to be detrimental to the idea. There were some pretty good players and I reckon the Test match might be a bit more different.”Shaun Pollock, the captain of the vanquished team, concurred. “I still think it’s a pretty good idea to hold this every four years. We had a good team, it’s just that we couldn’t come up with the performances.”They (Australia) gave a superb performance throughout the series. We needed just one classy performance from the star players but they did not click together.”In Sunday’s match, Pollock admitted his side was never in the hunt once it lost four wickets for some 30 odd runs. “[Brett] Lee actually stalled our big chase by taking three wickets cheaply and that put pressure on us.”Pollock said the Sydney Test would provide the opportunity for the World XI players to redeem themselves. “Test match cricket is a bit more of an individual game and it will provide the scope for some of our players to express themselves. Our batsmen haven’t got going in the one-day matches and they have a point to prove in Sydney.”The World XI captain said the selectors, headed by India’s Sunil Gavaskar, had chosen a quality side, “But we just didn’t play like the side we could”.Pollock also felt that the timing of the series could be reconsidered. “We had a few players who had no cricket for a long time and players from India and Sri Lanka came from matches against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. And from that perspective we were underdone, but you also have to understand the schedules these days is very difficult to fit more cricket in,” he said. “A series like this is perhaps better held at the end of the season.”Shane Watson was Australia’s hero once again. He was not only their most successful bowler with 4 for 39, but he weighed in with a vital, run-a-ball 66 which bailed Australia out of a difficult situation at 155 for 5.Watson had said at the start of the series that he could be Australia’s answer to Andrew Flintoff. Pretty big words for a player with a modest international record. But after back-to-back match winning performances, he was pretty confident that he could back his words with deeds. “I would love to be the player Flintoff is,” he said, “I admire the way he contributes with the bat and the ball match after match, and I believe that I can contribute similarly for Australia.”I am enjoying my cricket at the moment and I am not trying to put myself under too much pressure. And it’s working well for me. “Ponting said he had been impressed with Watson’s performances in England and the way he had learnt to build an innings. He was also full of praise for Mike Hussey, whose unbeaten 75 was an intelligent mixture of placing the ball in the gaps and finding the boundary at the right moment.

On Tuesday, we asked you for your reaction to Telford Vice’s Round the World column, in which he commented on the South African public’s reaction to Kevin Pietersen’s return to the country. Here is a selection of your views – please keep them coming to feedback:

To really understand what lies behind South Africa’s selection travails, it is necessary to read Nelson Mandela (both biography and autobiography). If ever there is a shining example to the world about the virtues of a reconciliatory spirit, it is South Africa. Pietersen’s rage misses the point – one made vividly by Andrew Hudson a few weeks ago in Cricinfo … “in many ways, we are paying the price for the sins of our forebears…”. It would take an extraordinarily mean mind to begrudge affirmative-action policies for a few years to wipe out the sins of decades.Besides, how many places are truly reserved – three in the national squad, two of which are taken by Gibbs and Ntini, both fine candidates for a world squad. What lack of opportunities is Pietersen crying about? Or is it just a lack of belief? As a visitor to the World Cup last year, I was astonished at the number of South Africans – of all colours – who walked up to me, an Indian, and wished India luck in the World Cup final. If that is the South African way, may it live long and be a shining beacon to the rest of us. Suresh ShankarKevin Pietersen is no different to the thousands of other obnoxiousSaffers/Aussies/Kiwis who move to London on a dodgy work permit; mysteriously lose their accents while waiting for their luggage at Heathrow Airport; complain about the cold and the crowded Underground; earn a couple of pounds; laugh about the favourable exchange rate; and after one British summer declare themselves to be dyed-in-the-wool Pommies. The only difference is, instead of working behind a bar in Soho like most of the other expats, Pietersen is working as a professional cricket player. Dave WilliamsThis is the first sensible article that has been written about the race issue in South Africa. The fact of the matter is that black youngsters have to be encouraged to take up a sport they’ve long regarded as a vestige of apartheid. The system currently being used is not perfect, but it is far better than the so-called “merit” system, which is just another excuse to keep players of colour out of the game. White South Africans are migrating in ever larger numbers, as can be witnessed from the declining crowds of white spectators watching the matches. Until South African cricket can attract black and Asian spectators to the matches, and groom black and Asian cricketers for the national team, South African cricket will continue to decline. Michael SivapragasamMr Vice believes all whites would grab any chance to jump ship, but because they cannot, they feel anger against those who can who do and who succeed. I am not jealous of Kevin Pietersen’s new life overseas, but am very unhappy that he chose to leave South Africa entirely. Go overseas and play county cricket, make the money you are greedy for, get great experience to help your cause … but don’t play for a country that is not your own. Your dream is to play for your country, not any country. Michael JonesIf a black player is not good enough for provincial cricket, he has no option but to leave the game and look for employment somewhere else. The likes of Pietersen, however, can instead qualify to play for England because of a British passport. He should be grateful for the opportunity – Pietersen needs to find the humility of an Andrew Strauss. ZamaIf Pietersen was from Australia, England or any other sport-loving country, and chose to emigrate and play for a main rival in a much-loved sport, they will most certainly receive the same treatment, if not worse. It is not a case of racism, ignorance or stupidity. It is a matter of pride, a sense of belonging and patriotism. Jaco BurgerSouth Africans is a proud nation, with a rich history, albeit a troubled one, who are world leaders in many fields, not least of them reconciliation. White South Africans are the only people who have ever voted themselves out of power. Ours is the only African country to accomplish the transition from colonial-inspired white supremacy to majority rule without genocide. We are passionate about sport, and make no apology for that, but to claim that we are all racists is on a par with saying that all Englishmen are soccer thugs. Michael MullerBrilliant. I think this goes beyond mere cricket reportage into an anthropological commentary on the state of the Rainbow Nation. Cheers, and may the articles keep coming! R RajeshTelford Vice has got it wrong. White cricket supporters in South Africa are not prejudiced in favour of a white-only team. The only thing we want is a winning team, be it white, black or any mixture thereof. If it is black only, we will be behind it, singing its praises … as long as it is winning. We are upset with Pietersen because he could have been a great asset. Maybe he did not have the confidence to fight for a place. Ray Chowder

It’s very true what you say about South African cricket. The boardroom wars of the unions damage the image, and many a time the booing is not necessarily for a particular player, but more for the incompetence higher up in the chain. Selectors in this country first look to make themselves comfortable, only then do they focus their energy on the real task. Only now do we realise what our selectors turfed away. One man’s trash is another’s treasure. GarethI am reminded of Percy Sonn’s reply to Clive Rice’s reaction to the Ontong controversy in Australia four years ago: “Clive, you are part of the problem, feel free to comment if you want to become part of the solution.” Neither wants to embrace and be part of the new South African system, so they whinge about crime and affirmative action as their reasons for leaving. Colin JefthaKevin Pietersen might want to masquerade as a Pom, and if that makes him sleep better at night, then good for him. But somehow, deep down, I bet he wishes he could pull on a green-and-gold shirt instead. Once a South African, always South African. Billy StellingIsn’t it more simple? He is a professional cricketer and gets paid for playing the game. The more successful he is, the higher income he commands. In simple terms, he had an opportunity to play for England, and he took it. England remains the biggest draw to the game. Playing cricket for England is lucrative, perhaps more so than for any other country. Why shouldn’t Pietersen have a choice? Mark ScottI was shocked to read the article by Telford Vice. I lived in South Africa up to four years ago and can really not find myself in what he is saying. The statement is not true for the majority of white South Africans. He creates a blatantly subjective and negative perception. Koos JonkerThe problem with South African sport is that it has politicised itself to such an extent that it has forgotten that its teams are supposed to represent the best South Africa has to offer, in order to beat the best the opposition has to offer. Reinier WeersTelford, my man, you have missed the real South African cricket demographic somewhere in your analysis. Most have been overseas more than once, have family members or friends living abroad, or have returned from living overseas (the counter-diaspora). And most have woken up to the fact that South Africa is a far better place to live than the overcrowded, overcontrolled, overstressed, polluted socialist ghettoes that make up lots of first-world cities, where freedom is confused with the “right” to behave immorally. Pierre KleinhansSouth Africa is surely the only country where the captain and coach cannot decide who plays from one match to the next. I am more than happy to have a team with more than “the quota” of black players, but only if, like Makhaya Ntini and Herschelle Gibbs, they warrant the position. Billy StrongI think that Pietersen has behaved like an ungrateful spoiled brat, but I have no desire to join him in leaving South Africa. In fact I am fully in favour of affirmative action – especially if it gets rid of people like him! Bill CairnsPietersen’s lack of shame is what grates. The best that can be said for this unpleasant and over-rated player is that he is too shallow to realise what offence he gives. His evident passion for England, built up after four years in that country, after 20 or so years in South Africa, is a clear mark of this trait. Mike Zabaame I find it strange that white South Africans are so afraid to stay in the country. They say that there’s no future for them, and yet this season we had AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn making their debuts. Nothing much has changed since 1991 when SA was welcomed back to international cricket. Whites are still playing at the highest level and they still get all the best chances. If you are not happy, then please leave this beautiful country peacefully and don’t come back. Eugene VeldsmanSouth Africa has lost out on a great talent. If Pietersen’s talent had been nurtured and he’d been given a message that he had the potential to make it as a pro in South Africa, he may have stayed. Instead, he was perceived as a mediocre cricketer with limited prospects, thereby forcing him to look to peddle his wares elsewhere. Nevertheless, that does not justify his blatantly provocative behaviour on this tour – a diplomat he is not. Paul MirbachI am incensed by Telford Vice’s article. How dare he insinuate that we South Africans all abuse our domestic workers? I live in South Africa and can assure you that, in general, this is not the case. Working relationships are typically very amicable, but I think Vice may need to look at himself and his relationships when making such statements. He owes us an apology! David TannahillI am a South African now living in America. I love watching cricket and in particular South Africa, even though I am now an American citizen. I feel the attitude of Pietersen is totally uncalled for. I don’t know what point he is trying to make – I cannot believe that he can wipe out 19 years of his existence. I still reminisce for the good old days but realise things have changed and my kids have a better future ahead of them. I hope Pietersen grows up soon. Linda PotgieterPietersen is a brilliant batsman and people just need to accept the fact that he has chosen England over South Africa for whatever reason and accept it. Hassan BashirTell us what you think

Cricket Australia has denied that the Australian government has put pressure on it to cancel Australia’s forthcoming tour to Zimbabwe. In a media release, James Sutherland, CA’s chief executive, emphasised that the decision of whether or not to tour Zimbabwe will not depend on what the government feels on the matter.”We welcome the government’s consistent position that the decision is ours to make,” said Sutherland. “Our long-standing position is that we are cricketers, and our visits have no other symbolism than that.” CA and the Australian Cricketers’ Association are due to visit Zimbabwe to assess the levels of security there, and Sutherland insisted that a decision to tour would be taken solely on the basis of that.”We are aware of the difficult situation in Zimbabwe, just as we are aware that there are diverse political, social and economic issues in other countries we visit,” he said.Earlier in the day, Alexander Downer, Australia’s foreign minister, had said in an interview to 3AW, a commercial radio station in Melbourne, that going ahead with the tour would “send the wrong message” to Zimbabwe.”We’d rather it didn’t go ahead, obviously the Zimbabwe government would be pleased if it did,” he said. “It would send the wrong message to Zimbabwe and to southern Africa, that oh well, we are not too happy with President Mugabe but it’s not that bad and, you know, the games can go on. I think frankly that’s a bit of a pity.”

Queensland’s depleted fast-bowling stocks have been filled by three relatively untested players for the two matches against New South Wales at the Gabba this week. With Ashley Noffke (back), Michael Kasprowicz (back) and Nathan Rimmington (shoulder) out injured, the Queensland selectors named two new faces in the squad for the Pura Cup game starting on Friday.Grant Sullivan, a right-arm fast-medium bowler, and the allrounder Chris Swan are in line to make their first-class debuts as the Bulls also battle without their internationals Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson. Sullivan plays for the Norths club and was upgraded from a rookie contract to a senior deal during the off-season.Swan, 28, has performed strongly for Gold Coast in the district competition and scored 109 in a first-grade match against Valley two weeks ago. “It was a pretty amazing call to get,” Swan said. “I reckon there could be a few more sleepless nights between now and Friday when the game starts.”It’s been a few seasons since I last played 2nd XI cricket for Queensland and with the age restrictions on that level of competition these days, I wasn’t really thinking about any form of cricket other than for the Dolphins.” The finger injury to Matthew Hayden, which he suffered in the Pura Cup loss to Tasmania last week, has forced a shake-up of the batting with Brendan Nash expected to open.Sullivan has also been picked in the Ford Ranger Cup one-day side to meet the Blues on Wednesday, along with Scott Brant, the recalled left-arm swing bowler. If Brant plays it will be his first outing in Queensland colours since 2004, the year he finished a two-season stint with Essex.Brant played 23 first-class matches and 36 domestic games before being pushed out of the starting side during the return of Andy Bichel from the national set-up. Michael Buchanan, the son of Australia’s national coach John Buchanan, has retained his spot in the squad after he was 12th man for the season-opening nine-wicket victory against Tasmania.Pura Cup squad Jimmy Maher (capt), Brendan Nash, Martin Love, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, Lachlan Stevens, James Hopes, Chris Swan, Chris Hartley (wk), Andy Bichel, Daniel Doran, Grant Sullivan.FR Cup squad Jimmy Maher (capt), Brendan Nash, Clinton Perren, James Hopes, Craig Philipson, Lachlan Stevens, Michael Buchanan, Chris Hartley (wk), Andy Bichel, Chris Simpson, Grant Sullivan, Scott Brant.

PointsTableWestern Province 155 for 4 (Kallis 74*, Puttick 39*) beatKwaZulu-Natal 154 (Kent 40, Henderson 3-29) by 6 wickets
ScorecardWith a small target to chase Jacques Kallis helped himself to an undefeated 74 and Western Province maintained their unbeaten record as KwaZulu-Natal in their Standard Bank Cup clash at Newlands in Cape Town. KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins won the toss and decided to bat first on what appeared to be a perfect batting strip.It soon became apparent that not too many drives were going to be played off the front foot. Struggling to come to grips with the pitch the Natal batsmen all battled, with only Jon Kent able to work the ball around, scoring an undefeated 40 off 60 balls. Much was expected from Lance Klusener, but he fell cheaply, caught and bowled by Graeme Smith, after spending an unusually unproductive 25 balls at the crease.Claude Henderson again suggested that he is the best spinner in South Africa at the moment, taking 3 for 29 in his nine-over spell, to leave KwaZulu-Natal all out for 154 in 43.2 overs.Western Province made an uncertain start, losing Neil Johnson in the second over and Gary Kirsten in the sixth. This brought Kallis to the crease, who, with a lot of time on his hands, stroked the ball around nicely for an undefeated 74. Together with Andrew Puttick he saw Western Province home in the 41st over for an easy six-wicket win.

The Northern Territory Chief Minister’s XI lost three wickets for five runs late on the second day to leave Bangladesh with a slim hope of reviving their fortunes after another poor batting performance. At stumps the Chief Minister’s XI were were 32 for 3, with an overall lead of 82. Unless the Bangladesh bowlers cause more havoc early on the third day, their batsmen will be left with a daunting fourth-innings target.Manjural Islam, the left-arm seam bowler, caused the early problems for the Chief Minister’s XI when he had Nick Berry out for a duck in the first over of the second innings. Then, in his third, he took the key wicket of Michael Clarke for 1. In between Islam’s two wickets, Ian Redpath was bowled by the medium-fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza for a duck in Mortaza’s first over.Ashley Williams and Kenneth Vowles stopped the rot and were unbeaten on 13 and 16 respectively at the close. The slow portable pitch made runscoring extremely difficult, so the first-innings lead of 50 conceded by Bangladesh could well prove to be a crucial factor.Bangladesh struggled throughout their innings to make any impact against a side which is not even a first-class combination. They were bowled out for 139 – hardly the ideal preparation in the last match before their first Test on Australian soil.Hannan Sarker was the sole figure of defiance. He batted 128 minutes for his 34 – the top score of the innings – but in doing so he highlighted the battle with concentration that the Bangladesh players have had ever since making their appearance on the Test stage. Nurtured on one-day cricket, they have still to acquire the temperament to play consistently long innings.At lunch Bangladesh were 56 for 3, but they had slumped to 120 for 8 by tea. Alok Kapali scored 21 and the last pair offered some token resistance, but it was too little against an attack which played to the conditions perfectly. Eight bowlers were used by Northern Territory, and while he picked up only one wicket for seven runs, Brian McAdam, the former North Melbourne AFL player, bowled 10 overs for that.Bradley Hatton took 2 for 20 off his 12 overs of medium-pace, while the Australian one-day offspinner Nathan Hauritz took 2 for 32 from 21 overs.Day 1 Bulletin

Jack Mollinson Noreiga, who has died in Trinidad, had a brief but successful fling with Test cricket early in 1971.It was Noreiga’s misfortune to be bowling offspin in the West Indies atthe same time as Lance Gibbs, one of the best of them all. But in 1971Gibbs’s form dipped and Noreiga – who, rising 35, was only a couple ofyears younger – was called up for the series against India after taking11 wickets in Trinidad’s Shell Shield match against Barbados. Noreigawas at his best on the turning pitches of the Queen’s Park Oval in Portof-Spain, and took only one wicket in the first Test in Jamaica. But inthe second Test, back home in Trinidad, he delivered what remains thebest bowling analysis by a West Indian bowler: 9 for 95, from 49.4overs. After the first wicket fell to Grayson Shillingford, Noreigamopped up the rest of the innings. Despite his efforts, India won thematch – Sunil Gavaskar made 65 and 67 not out on his Test debut – whichwas eventually enough to give them the series 1-0.Noreiga played alongside Gibbs in the next Test, at Georgetown, but bothmissed out in the fourth match in Barbados. But Noreiga was back for thefinal Test – at Port-of-Spain again – and grabbed 5 for 129 in thesecond innings (while Gavaskar compiled 220) to finish with 17 wicketsat 29.00 in his brief Test career. Gibbs returned to form afterwards,eventually topping the 300-wicket mark in Tests in 1975-76, and Noreiganever featured again. He did play on for T&T until 1975, ending up with68 wickets at 29.67.Noreiga died in Port-of-Spain’s Sangre Grande hospital on Friday (August 8), after stomach surgery. He was 67, and leaves nine children and seven grandchildren. Garry Sobers, his captain in those four Tests, remembered Noreiga as “a jovial personality and a real team man” as well as “a very useful bowler”. Sobers recalled: “Lance was going through a bad patch at the time and Jack filled the gap tremendously. He was a very useful bowler, especially at the Queen’s Park Oval. He flighted the ball, had good control over line and length, and turned it. Like most Trinidadians, he enlivened the dressing-room with his humour. I’m saddened to learn of his untimely passing.”

Chris Cairns has been ruled out of New Zealand’s crucial TVS Cup match against India at Cuttack. Cairns failed to recover from a hamstring injury which forced him to leave the field midway during their match against Australia at Pune on November 3. “Cairns hasn’t come through,” confirmed Ashley Ross, the New Zealand coach, after Cairns failed a fitness test.Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid has asked for an improved performance from the Indian middle order. Speaking to reporters on the eve of their match against New Zealand, Dravid said: “The middle-order batting is an area that needs work. We have to do better while batting second. I don’t know of any plans to change the batting order, but we have to be as flexible as possible.”He also called for a better display from Zaheer Khan, especially with the new ball. “Our bowlers are capable of doing better, particularly Zaheer. He did well in Gwalior, but something went wrong in Mumbai. He is working hard and should do better in the first 15 overs, because that is a key time.”The Indian team will be without Anil Kumble, who opted out of the match due to his father’s death. Sairaj Bahutule has been included in the squad, but Ashish Nehra – who has recovered from his ankle surgery – or Murali Kartik are the frontrunners to replace Kumble.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, April 6 AAP – Jason Gillespie proved he was on track for Thursday’s first Test against the West Indies during a strong bowling performance in his return match in Georgetown today.Gillespie claimed 2-13 from nine overs as Australia moved towards victory against the Guyana Board President’s XI in the opening three-day tour match at the Everest ground.At stumps on the second day, Australia was 8-180 in its second innings, leading the home team by 425 runs after it was dismissed for 132.Gillespie made seven during a late knock while Queenslander Martin Love was unbeaten on 55 as Australian captain Steve Waugh reshuffled his batting order to continue the build-up to the Test at nearby Bourda.Waugh’s top order received valuable time at the crease on the first day before the captain declared at the overnight score of 3-377.Gillespie’s bowling was among the most satisfying results from a commanding Australian performance on the slow Everest wicket.The South Australian had not bowled since he was sent home from the World Cup with a heel injury and there were doubts over whether he would recover before the four-Test series.He appeared on track today, bowling well across two spells, as the Australians rattled a team containing three players from the Windies’ 14-man Test squad.Spinner Brad Hogg claimed 4-23, including three late wickets, while his rival for the slow bowling spot, Stuart MacGill, was punished by the local batsmen.His two wickets came at the expense of 49 runs from eight overs.Andrew Bichel (2-10), opening the bowling in place of rested quick Brett Lee, was lively during a six-over burst.Under the rejigged second innings line-up Hogg and Adam Gilchrist opened the batting but wickets fell quickly.Gilchrist (eight) fell in the third over, Hogg (16) was out nine balls later and Bichel, batting at three, had his stumps spread by former Test quick Marlon Black after scoring seven.Queensland quick Ashley Noffke made a polished 20 before Darren Lehmann was the first of the recognised batsmen at No.6.Lehmann made 42, following his unbeaten 44 in the first innings, combining with Love for a 72-run stand.Love reached his second half-century for the match in a solid build-up to his role at No.4 in the first Test.