YORKSHIRE-born Paul Grayson has been called up as cover for their tour in Kenya.

The 29-year-old Ripon-born all-rounder has been called up as cover for Ashley Giles.

The Essex player, who played for Bedale in the York and District Costcutter League before signing for Yorkshire in 1990, has no previous international experience.

However, Grayson, whose father Adrian is Bedale club chairman and a former York City FC reserve team player, has been given the nod ahead of Glamorgan's Robert Croft.

It had been expected that experienced off-spinner Croft would be called in for Giles, who is nursing a calf strain.

However, team spokesman David Clarke said: " It was felt that the off-spinners are more likely to go for lots of runs on these wickets, so we went for the left-armer."

England's man-of-the-match Alec Stewart believes he has now played on the perfect batting wicket after his unbeaten 87 in yesterday's ICC Knockout Cup qualifying win over Bangladesh.

Stewart shared a second-wicket stand of 175 with his captain Nasser Hussain (95) as England coasted to 236-2 in reply to 232-8 with more than six of their 50 overs remaining at the Gymkhana Club.

England's two old pros had plenty of fun in the sun, after a hard-working bowling performance from the pace attack had helped to keep Bangladesh down to a slightly under-par score despite handy contributions from Javed Omar (63no) and captain Naimur Rahman (46).

Stewart and Hussain were agreed that no score would be entirely safe on such a batting friendly ground.

"That was as good a wicket as I have ever played on," said the wicketkeeper-batsman.

"It was not the most fearsome attack, but I was very pleased with the way I played," he added, reflecting on his fifth consecutive one-day international half-century.

Hussain and Stewart matched each other boundary for boundary up to their 50, each hitting two sixes and six fours.

But the captain accelerated thereafter, taking particular toll of the off-spin of his opposite number Rahman.

Their stand ended the match as a contest, despite the early loss of Marcus Trescothick to an edged drive behind at a wide ball, and Graeme Hick finished off the Bangladeshis with a quick-fire, unbeaten 23.

Omar and Rahman had earlier been the pick of Bangladesh's batsmen, launching a mid-innings repair job with a fifth-wicket stand of 64.

The England attack did well to keep their opponents under five an over, with Mark Ealham the luckiest bowler in returning 3-48.

But the real fireworks did not start until Hussain and Stewart came together, and the captain was rightly satisfied with his effort after his long, lean run.

He said: "I have been hitting it very well in the nets and the other day against Australia.

"I was a bit nervous starting up. Then after the summer I have had I was determined to get a hundred once I was within range.

"I was a bit disappointed to fall just short, but I'll take 95 against anybody."