Report

Knight and Singh score quickly for Warwickshire

Nick Knight and Anurag Singh gleefully seized on the opportunity to make runs after Warwickshire were put into bat by Hampshire at Edgbaston in the first of the NatWest semi-finals this weekend

Kate Laven
12-Aug-2000
Nick Knight and Anurag Singh gleefully seized on the opportunity to make runs after Warwickshire were put into bat by Hampshire at Edgbaston in the first of the NatWest semi-finals this weekend.
On a bright and sunny morning in Birmingham, Hampshire skipper Robin Smith made the surprise choice to bowl first, but his opening attack of veteran paceman Peter Hartley, the 41 year-old former Yorkshire quickie and Dimitri Mascarenhas, struggled to make an early breakthrough on a pitch that offered little help.
Openers Knight and Singh, who was playing only his third one-day match of the season, played cautiously in the first six overs but the absence of any movement in the pitch combined with a lack of danger posed by the bowlers, saw the pair quickly settle into their stride.
The more experienced Knight led the way but Singh, a former Cambridge University blue who despite being on the Warwickshire staff since 1995 has still be awarded his county cap, gave him sure footed assistance.
They averaged around four an over until the field was set back and then both players confidently hit out with the left-hander Knight producing a series of handsome drives through the covers.
Knight made it to his half century in the 23rd over, having faced 73 balls and hitting seven boundaries while the right-handed Singh kept up the pressure on Hampshire's attack, missing Shane Warne who is back in Australia for the one-day series against South Africa, at the other end.
Even Alan Mullally, with 23 wickets from the last two PPP healthcare matches failed to make his mark and only Mascarenhas posed any threat when he thought he had Singh, who was on ten, caught behind but the appeal was turned down by umpire Jeremy Lloyds .
At the half way mark, Warwickshire were 104 without loss, with night and Singh preparing the way for a big total from their 50 overs.