Cricket-Huge Bermudan policeman holds back England in warm-up

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, Mar 5 (Reuters) England notched up a decent total in their first World Cup warm-up match today but were in trouble at one stage after 21-stone Bermudan policeman Dwayne Leverock weighed in with two key wickets.

Left-arm spinner Leverock belied his heavy frame and Bermuda's minor nation status to record figures of two for 32 with Paul Collingwood (seven) nicking behind and Kevin Pietersen being stumped for 43.

England amassed 286 for eight with Jamie Dalrymple topscoring wih 76 to steady the innings after they had been 132 for five.

England captain Michael Vaughan looked in good touch during his short innings of 18 but his injury problems remain after strapping was applied to his leg following his dismissal.

However, England physio Dean Conway said he was ''very happy'' with Vaughan, who miscued a pull off impressive paceman Kevin Hurdle to David Hemp at square leg.

The 32-year-old missed a year of international cricket after two knee operations and then pulled a hamstring when he returned in the tri-series in Australia in January.

He has been working his way back to full fitness and said before the game he would only play part of the 13-players-a-side match. England, who face Australia in a final warm-up on Friday, play New Zealand in their first World Cup match on March 16.

Kenya and Canada are the other two nations in Group C As expected, England omitted out-of-form Andrew Strauss to accommodate the returning Pietersen at number four. Big-hitter Pietersen, who broke his rib in the first tri-series match with Australia in January, was unusually reserved after some good bowling from 17-year-old Malachi Jones and Leverock, 35.

All-rounder Ravi Bopara was also left out of by England, who are set to employ all four of their pace bowlers in Bermuda's innings in order to give Jon Lewis and James Anderson some match practice after injuries.

REUTERS SP LS KP2328