County Roundup
SUSSEX v WORCESTERSHIRE: In the only championship match of the day, Sussex extended their lead through Rashid and Lewry until McGrath had Rashid caught, and next ball Kirtley was lbw
Dave Liverman and John Polack
21-May-2000
County Championship:
SUSSEX v WORCESTERSHIRE: In the only championship match of the day, Sussex extended their lead through Rashid and Lewry until McGrath had Rashid caught, and next ball Kirtley was lbw. The last wicket manged four more runs, but set
Worcestershire a target of just 96. McGrath took 4/30, 9/84 in the match. Despite losing an early wicket, Wilson and Solanki took Worcester to the only win of this round of the Championship.
National League Division 1:
YORKSHIRE v GLOUCESTERSHIRE: Around persistent showers at Headingley, an even batting effort from the Yorkshire top order paved the way for a solid 35 run win overGloucestershire in a reduced overs contest.
It appeared for a time through the morning that the rain had worked to Gloucestershire's considerable advantage; having been forced on and off the ground, captain David Byas (48) and Gary Fellows (30) were unable to afford the Yorkshire innings any notable momentum and the visitors benefited significantly. It was, in fact, a fine late flurry from Richard Blakey (43*) and Darren Lehmann (24) which was primarily responsible for nudging the score to a mark of 160/3 by the time the allotted thirty-three overs were bowled.
But the ability of Yorkshire's bowlers to make the Gloucestershire batting line-up appear second rate more than rectified any concerns that might have been
experienced by the locals following their cautious start. Statistically,
off spinner James Middlebrook (3/16) stole the honours but, in truth, the
entire attack acquitted itself creditably. For Gloucestershire, only Ian
Harvey (31) and Matthew Windows (26) came close to exhibiting the sort of
response that was demanded in the circumstances.
LEICESTERSHIRE v KENT: In the midst of a most unremarkable season from him, opener Trevor Ward (53) played a superb rearguard innings to lead Leicestershire's charge toward a stirring three wicket win (with six overs to spare) over Kent at Grace Road.
Despite the best efforts of first gamer Kristian Adams (whose rattling left arm pace netted him the stunning figures of 4/19), Kent was unable to capitalise on a sizzling early beginning to the afternoon session as it defended the extremely modest total of 141/9. Instead, the dashing Ward played the defining hand of the match amid a run chase that stuttered at several different times and which featured several unusual developments, not the least of which was Kent captain Matthew Fleming's decision to introduce Rahul Dravid into the attack ahead of Adams in the tension-laced closing overs.
Handy contributions came from Aftab Habib (28), Chris Lewis (26*) and Jonathan Dakin (17*) as they fought valiantly to complement Ward's efforts and extricate their team from trouble which had been so pronounced as to leave them battling at 23/4 at one stage. Indian import Anil Kumble was also instrumental in the success; his return of 3/26 hampering Kent's efforts to build satisfactorily upon the platform painstakingly assembled by Matthew Walker (48).
SOMERSET v NORTHAMPTONSHIRE:
At a time of potentially great vulnerability, all-rounders Keith Parsons
(54*) and Ian Blackwell (45* off 32 balls) led Somerset to a four wicket win - with seventeen deliveries remaining - over Northamptonshire at Taunton.
Despite the earlier heroics of Steffan Jones (4/36) and the ever-maturing Marcus Trescothick (68), Somerset had looked well out of the game by the time that it stumbled to the mark of 158/6 in response to the visitors' imposing total of 240. It was then that Parsons and Blackwell joined forces with a controlled unbroken stand of 85 runs that undid most of the excellent work performed by Graeme Swann (with a commanding 57 off 40 deliveries) and Matthew Hayden (47) through the morning session.
On a Taunton pitch which is only slowly this season assuming the qualities that
have rendered it a favourite among county batsmen over recent years, only
Darren Cousins (2/45) proved capable of taking multiple wickets for a
wayward Northants attack.
National League Division 2:
DERBYSHIRE v NOTTINGHAMSHIRE: Derby got off to a flying start at Trent Bridge but were pegged back when Di Venuto was bowled by Lucas. Cassar and Dowman took the total to 70, but both were dismissed at the same score, as was Bailey. It was left to Stubbings (59) to salvage the innings, with support from the tail.
Lucas took 3 wickets but conceded 55 runs, and the best of the bowers was Franks, who returned the figures of 9-2-16-2. Stemp was also economical, with 1/19 from nine overs. Nottinghamshire had to chase a target of 187, and got off to a poor start, losing the in-form Welton for a duck. Bicknell and Gallian
consolidated, however, taking the score to 70 before Gallian was
stumped off Aldred.
Bicknell went on to his half century before falling to Smith, and then Morris with 54 in 58 balls with two sixes took Notts to the brink of victory. Two late wickets gave Derby some home but Notts ran out the winners by four wickets with 3.4 overs to spare.
DURHAM v GLAMORGAN: Rain interupted the Durham - Glamorgan match, and the dreaded Duckworth-Lewis method came into play. Durham got off to a poor start losing their first two wickets with 4 on the board, the young prodigy Peng for a duck, a score matched by number three Collingwood.
Katich and Speak rebuilt the innings, taking the score to 64 before Speak was lbw to Newell. Katich with 47* made over half of his side's disappointing total of 93/3 in 28 overs, as runs proved hard to find. After the calculators and tables had been consulted, Glamorgan were asked to chase a target of 105 in
28 overs. Further rain intervened, and Glamorgan fell short of the revised target of 86 in 18 overs. Elliot was unbeaten on 26 from 52 balls, a result presumably of mathematical ineptitude rather than lack of talent with the bat.
WARWICKSHIRE v HAMPSHIRE: Hampshire were indebted to Laney's 69 in reaching the disappointing total of 154. Shane Warne has been in dismal form with the bat so the decision to promote him to number three was adventurous, or foolhardy.
After Dagnall had bowled Kenway, Warne fended the next ball to Piper behind the wicket, a golden duck. Dagnall a young left-armer with a single first-class match to his credit bowled well to take 2/22. Hampshire rely on Robin Smith in such circumstances but he managed only 8 before being bowled by Ashley Giles, but Laney soldiered on being 6th out with the score on 111. Stephenson made 33,
and extended the innings to the final over. Giles, the best of the bowlers, took 2/21 from his 9 overs.
Warwickshire's pinch hitter, Neil Smith was no more successful than Warne, although he lasted 2 more balls in making his duck at number 3, as after a bright start from Powell, Warwickshire faltered, losing three quick wickets. Hemp in fine form in the county match was unable to reproduce it here,
Stephenson had him lbw for 16, and Shane Warne bowled Ostler for 8. Penney (36*) and Brown (45*) however had little trouble knocking off the runs, achieving their target with over 10 overs remaining.
SURREY v MIDDLESEX: No play was possible at the Oval, where Surrey and Middlesex collected two points apiece in the abandoned match.