County Roundup

Ganguly's 61 will be a welcome sight for Lancashire after a rather protracted dry spell for the much vaunted overseas player (in seven previous innings he had totalled just 83 runs). He and Atherton (46) put on just under 100 for the 3rd wicket after Crawley and Flintoff had fallen with just 17 on the board. Lancashire wasted this promising start as Atherton, Fairbrother and Ganguly were dismissed for the addition of only 12 runs, and the late order struggled to accelerate against tight bowling. Chris Lewis continued his fine early season form, with three critical wickets, including Ganguly, for just 29 runs. Lancashire managed just 177 - thanks to two last over sixes from Glen Chapple. The Leicester innings was a one-man effort as acting skipper Ben Smith made a superb 90, and must have thought the match was won when he departed 6th man out with the score on 152. Leicester, however, seem to relish close finishes, and this went down to the final over bowled by Peter Martin. A six from Dakin seemed to have settled things, but as in Leicester's match last week, a scrambled bye from the final ball tied the match.

Pollard's 55 led Worcestershire to 173, Gough's one wicket proving expensive, and overshadowed by opening partner Hoggard's 3/23. Worcestershire were restricted by the economical bowling of White and the unlikely figure of Lehmann whose bowling is aparently more appreciated in Yorkshire than Australia. The Yorkshire bats found McGrath near impossible to score off in his first spell conceding just 9 runs from 6 overs. Illingworth and Leatherdale increased the pressure on the middle order with accurate bowling and both reaped the rewards with 3 wickets apiece. Gough swung hard at the end, but Yorkshire fell 9 runs short.

Northamptonshire took on Gloucestershire at the County Ground in a match shortened to 35 overs. Runs were hard to come by against steady bowling, and wickets falling throughout. Northants found runs equally scarce when they batted, losing captain Hayden for 22. James Averis took the bowling honours with 5/20 as Northants collapsed to 112 all out.

Notts beat Essex in an excellent finish, with Lucas only conceding 4 runs from a final over from which Essex needed 8. Notts made what is for them this season a good start, with Bicknell and Afzaal managing 33 for the first wicket, but no-one managed to build an innings of any significance. Grayson was the pick of the Essex bowlers with 3/23, Tolley top-scored with 33, and Notts totalled a modest 190 in a reduced 42 overs. Hussian opened, and lead Essex with a steady 55, and at 94/1 they looked on course for an easy victory. Even after Law and Hussian were dismissed they stood at 121/3. However whilst captain Irani stood firm (unbeaten at the end on 42), wickets fell at the other end, setting up the exciting final over.

Only captain Robin Smith's 71 allowed Hampshire to reach 147, as the rest of the side did little against the Middlesex seamers. Johnson dismissed both openers, Cook and Fraser bowled economically and Smith relied on support from the lower order to prolong the innings. The Middlesex top order batted well, although no batsman played a major innings, but 3 wickets from Warne made them struggle for their 4 wicket victory.

Warwickshire handed Glamorgan an emphatic home defeat, as a fine all-round performance in the field saw the home side all out for just 125. Dougie Brown was the pick of the bowlers, having Mathew Elliot caught in spectacular fashion by trevor Penney, and captain Maynard was run out for a duck. Glamorgan must be rather tired of the sight of Nick Knight making runs after his mid-week double century, and now a rapid unbeaten 68 to lead Warwicks to an easy 9 wicket victory.