An aggressive half century by Runako Morton and some tight bowling enabled West Indies A to begin their tour to England with a comfortable win.

Morton hit a six and three fours in making 57 off 70 balls after a mid-innings collapse had seen four wickets go down for 23 runs.

The students were soon in trouble reply as paceman Jermaine Lawson snapped up three for 13 in seven overs and the rest of the damage was done by spinners Dwayne Bravo and Sulieman Benn.

Tim Murtagh (26) and Tom Mees (19) held them up for three quarters of an hour in a gallant ninth wicket stand, but the game came to an end when Benn caught Mees off Tino Best.

Solid start

Having beaten Ireland by 82 runs last Friday, West Indies A looked in confident mood despite being asked to bat first after home skipper Jamie Dalrymple won the toss.

Captain Daren Ganga (41) and Donavon Pagon (46) put on 79 for the second wicket but they then slumped from 112 for one to 135 for five after Northamptonshire spinner Monty Panesar picked up two wickets in quick succession.

Morton and Keith Hibbert (39 not out) halted the slide and took the attack to the students over the closing overs of the West Indies A innings before Morton fell to Mees, who claimed two for 43 in his nine overs.

Treble strike

Student openers Michael Brown and James Adams survived the new ball burst from Reon King and Best but the introduction of Lawson brought immediate rewards.

Adams was caught behind for seven and Lawson then trapped Brown lbw for 22 before dismissing Dalrymple for five.

John Francis batted for an hour to make 22 before he was bowled by Bravo, who claimed three for 28, with slow left-armer Benn getting through a full 10 overs for figures of two for 32.

Murtagh and Mees each hit three boundaries but Murtagh's run out put an end to their partnership and Mees followed six runs later as West Indies A completed their win.

British Universities: M J Brown (Wkt), H R Jones, J D Francis, M J Banes, J W M Dalrymple (Capt), J H K Adams, R S Ferley, T Mees, M S Panesar, T J Murtagh, C J Elstub.

West Indies A: D Ganga (Capt), D S Smith, D J Pagon, D J Bravo, K H Hibbert (Wkt), R S Morton, L M P Simmons, S J Benn, R D King, J J C Lawson, T Best.

Umpires: P J Hartley and B Leadbeater