Lancashire: Wasim hopes for another season (4 Sep 1998)

4 September 1998

Wasim hopes for another season

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Lancashire captain Wasim Akram today set out his treble hopes - and threw his hat back into the ring to stay with the club next season, writes ANDY WILSON.

Wasim had been ruled out of the running as Lancashire's overseas player for next summer after informing the club that he wanted to concentrate on the World Cup.

But the news that Lancashire had targeted Sri Lankan spin sensation Muttiah Muralitharan, who will also be involved in the World Cup in May and June, has made Wasim rethink.

And after linking up with Graham Lloyd and Peter Martin to blast Lancashire to an innings victory over Derbyshire at Old Trafford yesterday, which keeps them in the thick of the Championship race, the man his team mates call "King" said: "If Lancashire are going to sign an overseas player after the World Cup, why not me?

"I want to come back, I love this club. If they do decide to sign someone else I would accept it, but I would like the club to keep me fully informed."

But leading Lancashire to their first outright Championship since 1934 would give him an even bigger buzz. "My dream has always been to win the Championship," he added.

And after a slow start to the season, Wasim is starting to produce the goods when it matters.

He played a key role with bat and ball in the win at Durham last week, and yesterday completed another seven wicket match haul against Derbyshire - he now has 36 for the summer.

Lancashire were racing against time after losing the whole of the first day to rain, and acutely aware of the poor weather forecast for today.

That was an ideal situation for Lloyd, who converted his overnight 56 into a magnificent unbeaten 121 - his third double century in as many years, following 241 against Essex in 1996 and 225 in the first class friendly against Yorkshire last April. The runs came off only 227 balls with 21 fours and five sixes, including 28 in an over off hapless Derbyshire spinner Ian Blackwell, and gave Lancashire a lead of 206 by mid-afternoon.

Lancashire then had to endure a period of frustration, particularly for Martin, who had Kim Barnett dropped by Wasim in the gully then saw another edge fly between first and second slip. When an opening stand of 51 was finally broken, it was Wasim who got the wicket of Barnett, safely held by Neil Fairbrother at third slip, and then uprooted Michael May's off stump. Wasim then took a good gully catch to give Martin the wicket of Matthew Cassar.

But Derbyshire were looking good to take the game into the last day when Dominic Cork joined Robin Weston in a fifth wicket stand of 78 until Wasim introduced Glen Chapple in the 38th over.

Derbyshire will receive a double boost for tomorrow's NatWest final. Australian opener Michael Slater is due back from a Commonwealth Games training camp today, and left arm seamer Kevin Dean is expected to return from a back injury which kept him out of the Championship match at Old Trafford.

Lancashire will give Mike Atherton a check on his troublesome back problem before tomorrow's NatWest Trophy final.

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (https://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)