NatWest Trophy: Lancashire's inconsistency faces scrutiny in Roses duel (9 July 1999)

9 July 1999

NatWest Trophy: Lancashire's inconsistency faces scrutiny in Roses duel

Charles Randall

The big one-day occasions in Manchester keep coming while the championship pain continues. That is the familiar story of Lancashire, the NatWest Trophy holders, who were matched against Yorkshire in yesterday's quarter-final draw.

A large crowd seems assured for this Roses meeting at Old Trafford on July 28, especially as Yorkshire have established themselves as a credible one-day side this summer.

In the other pairings, Glamorgan have a cross-Avon derby game against Gloucestershire in Cardiff, Northamptonshire take on Surrey, and Somerset, with eight out of eight one-day wins so far, meet Kent.

Lancashire do not intend to replace Dav Whatmore, their departing coach, for the remainder of the season. The arrangement puts extra responsibility on John Crawley as captain, though he can tap the expertise of senior players such as Neil Fairbrother and Mike Watkinson.

Crawley's men could sink to the bottom of the County Championship table at this halfway stage if the three counties below them - Glamorgan, Northamptonshire and Durham - win their round of matches which start today.

In Whatmore's second season at the club last summer, Lancashire finished runners-up in the championship. Now they are 15th, and Crawley's team can brace themselves for more derision from the "pit of hate", that section of the members' terrace in front of the pavilion, unless matters have improved by the next four-dayer at Old Trafford in a month's time. Next week's home venue is Blackpool.

Perhaps this season Lancashire's expectations are unreasonably high, because they have no quality batsmen at the height of their powers except for Crawley himself. And even he has not yet scored a hundred after hitting seven in the championship last summer.

Even the presence of the extraordinary Muttiah Muralitharan has not transformed the side into something special. The accent has moved from seam to spin, but whatever origami shapes might be made, the paper is the same, still as fragile.

Lancashire have lifted seven one-day trophies in the Nineties but it looks as though they will finish in the bottom half of the championship and start life next year in the second division.

Glamorgan, in the 16th place, meet Essex, last year's bottom county, in the championship at Sophia Gardens today, relieved that Wednesday's NatWest success over Warwickshire could salvage their season.

Steve James said: "Harsh words were said in the dressing-room before the Warwickshire game. Hopefully, we've restored our supporters' faith in the side and against Gloucestershire, we'll have a full house."

Durham have announced that Simon Katich, the Western Australia left-hander newly contracted to Australia's national squad, will be David Boon's replacement next year.

Natwest Trophy.- Quarter-finals: Lancashire v Yorkshire, Glamorgan v Gloucestershire, Somerset v Kent, Northamptonshire v Surrey. Ties to be played Wed, July 28.

PPP Healthcare Ch'ship, leading run-scorers: 832-S Law (Essex), 723-M Di Venuto (Sussex), 719-M Hayden (Northants), 712-M Butcher (Surrey), 681-D Maddy (Leics), 675-J Langer (Middlesex), 671-R Turner (Somerset), 652-J Cox (Somerset), 641-P Johnson (Notts), 639-W Kendall (Hampshire).

Leading wicket-takers: 48-A Sheriyar (Worcs), 43-J Lewis (Gloucs), 42-A Caddick (Somerset), 40-V Drakes (Notts), 38-A Tudor (Surrey), 37-M Muralitharan (Lancs), 35-D Malcolm (Northants), 34-M Smith (Gloucs), 33-C Silverwood (Yorks), 32-S Brown (Durham).

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph