Bopara showed his potential

A fighting half century by Essex batsman Ravi Bopara was not enough to save England from defeat in their warm-up game ahead of the first youth Test.

Bopara batted for almost three hours for his 65, but skipper Bilal Shafayat (41) and James Pearson (44) were the only other batsmen to pass 20.

Starting the final day on 43 for two after trailing by 183 on first innings, England suffered a major blow to their hopes of escaping with a draw when Shafayat was caught off seam bowler Oliver Thomas.

Bopara and Pearson steadied the innings with a fourth wicket stand of 95, but the home side regained the initiative by dismissing both in successive overs.

Pearson fell to leg-spinner Cullen Bailey, who also ended Bopara's innings by taking a catch off the bowling of Matthew Burr.

Off-spinner Burr had excellent figures of three for 33 from 23 overs and Thomas returned to polish off the tail to finish with three for 27.

South Australia made heavy weather of scoring 38 for victory as Liam Plunkett took three for 11 with the new ball, but Tom Plant saw them home with an unbeaten 23.