The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 42

OBSERVER SUNDAY 2 JUNE 1991 42 OiSiMiporQ Patrick Barclay believes that the unsatisfactory end to the European Cup final makes a case for withholding the championship rather than resorting to the penalty clause THE ABIDING memory of the European Cup final is of the eel-ebrations: so many different flags, waving together. as one reveller put it later in a bar filled with song, 'we are all For Red Star Belgrade, a team as ethnically mixed as its support, victory represented a flourish of unity. They had something to say about popular disdain for political opportunism in a country supposedly on the verge of disintegration. Next to victory and, in some cases, career advancement, it was their most powerful motive. If ever there were a moment for football to talk from a position of strength, this was it.

If ever a country deserved their first touch of the continent's glittering prize, Yugoslavia did last Wednesday night. And yet the prize is tarnished. The head must rule a heavy heart. Red Star Belgrade are not worthy champions of Europe. They will not be remembered as such, any more than were PSV Eindhoven or Steaua Bucharest after the penalty deciders in 1986 and 1988 that were appended to matches tired of football.

They are the fourth club to have taken the Cup by this pernicious means over the past eight seasons, and rightly only Liverpool's success in 1984 was accorded any widespread legitimacy, having been achieved against odds on the home ground of their opponents, Roma, after a match in which they were superior. Last week's affair was quite distinct, as the Red Star manager i Ljupko Petrovic, explained with helpful candour. At some' stage during the first half of normal time, he formed the opinion that his team were inferior to Olympique Marseille. They were instructed at the interval to 'take fewer risks' I mm, 'iilllllj Penalty of defeat: Amoros (left) and Waddle reflect on a shoot-out that left a deep wound. Photograph by Mike King in Rome to see Lazio complete and then flit away like a stager of imagining what would have happened in the past but of trying to create a more positive outlook: Let the wisdom of Solomon be applied; something must concentrate the minds of coaches on their obligation to make things happen in a game intended to last 90 minutes.

None of this seeks to portray Marseille as victims of vandalism. They squeezed the play relentlessly, as-usual, and for most of the night were as reluctant as their opponents to run positively; the sight of Abedi Pele, such an incisive little attacker all season, dropping deep to play meaningless passes hand was among; the more depressing manifestations. The idea that Arsenal would have taken either side by the scruff of the neck is almost too fanciful for words, given the League champions' recent record on big cup occasions. If we want to accentuate the virtues the return of English clubs can bring Europe, a more pertinent remark would be that Hughes, in the Cup-Winners! Cup final, exemplified a buccaneering spirit contrasting sharply with the defeatism of Papin and Pancev in Bari. Four days earlier I had been Rovers Malk ers willing to travel renders this less desirable, even on the assumption that a second match will always be decisive.

But the central issue is not organisation. A point needs to be made to coaches and players destroying the spirit of great occasions. Bari was all backcloth. The fans were a riot of colour, their constant encouragement suggesting that if 11 were picked from each horde and given boots and jerseys we might have a decent match on our hands. We had expected so much from the teams because they had shown, Marseille in Milan and Moscow, Red Star in Munich, ability to perform with panache under stress.

Then they lost their nerve. The rules made it too easy. Had the penalty decider not been in the back of Red Star's minds, we might still have had a mundane final few, since the early days of Real Madrid and Benfica, have been classics but one of the brightest of modern prospects never had a chance once Petrovic decided his gifted creators, Prosenicki and Savicevic, were to be denied support. At least Marseille tried to win, and perhaps we should not be wringing our hands had either of Waddle's headers found the net. If they had, you know and I know what would have happened: Red Star would have come out of their shell.

That is the most frustrating reflection of all, and the most compelling reason for denying strategists like Petrovic the option of triumph through pen- the There is an argument that teams finishing fourth in the table do not deserve to join a higher division and should be grateful for what is, in effect, a bonus chance. Try explaining that to the 15,000 Blackpool supporters" arriving home in the early hours yesterday, having lost to a penalty scored by the goalkeeper of opponents who had finished seven points behind them. Those people, and Dave Bam-ber, a sad and solitary figure slumped in the centre circle after missing a penalty on Fri- First Class Batting Fastest Hundreds I Botham (Worcs) 83 mln Capel (Northants) Camb 84 mln 1 Richards (W Indies) Worcs 109 mln A Gooch (Essex) Camb U. 110 mln I Botham (Worcs) Lanes 1 1 1 mln A Garnham (Essex) Camb 119 mln Maynard (Glamorgan) Sussex. 120 mln Falrbrother (Lanes) mln Yesterday Sallm Malik (Essex) 145 mln Double Centuries Benson (Kent) O'Ollvelra (Worcs) Oxford Smith (Hants) Oxford Most Centuries Smith (Hants) Morris (Glacri) Most Fifties Crawley (Cambridge U) Bailey Smith Broad (Notts) A Moles (Warwlcks) Stephenson Highest Scores Benson (Kent) D'Ollvelra (Worcs) Smith (Hants) Prlchard (Essex) Gattlng (Mlddx) Sallm Malik (Essex) Terry Broad (Notts) Botham (Worcs) Ducks Morris (Camb U) Magulre Scott (Gloucs) Wood (Oxford.U) ..257 ..237 ..200 ....3 3 5 4 4 4 .3 3 .257 .237 ..200 .190 ..180 ..173 .171 ..166 .161 Opening Stands Taylor Benson (Kent Derbyshire) Terry 8.

Smith .300 .274 (Sussex nampsnire; Highest Stands D'Ollvelra A Leatherdale (5th wkt) (Worcs Oxlord U) Smith A Wells (3rd Wkt) (Sussex Mlddx) County Performance Batting .243 .235 would possibly have spent the weekend worrying not about whether Ron Atkinson could resist the lure of Deadly Doug and Villa Park but whether they could win at Wembley again, in a play-off final. Not that Tranmere, who had themselves been outplayed for the first hour of their semi-final at Brentford, were ever going to be concerned with such niceties. Already deprived by injury of Muir and McNab, respectively their most dangerous and most experienced players, they seemed to draw strength from Greatest Fall of Wickets 88-4 to 105 all Essex 93-5 to 1 19 all out Oxlord Worcs 83-3 to 113-8 Cambridge Mlddx Extras alty practice. We should still, of course, have imperfect justice. Teams can play wonderfully and be level after extra-time; there could hardly be a finer exposition of the spirit of the game than the World Cup match between France and Brazil in Guadalajara in 1986, drawn 1-1 and settled in France's favour from the spot.

But, had that been a final, the concept of shared honour would not have been inappropriate, even if the North Americans, who are to host the next tournament, would have found it mystifying. It is not, anyway, a question Steve Tongue at Wembley Stadium Bolton Wanderers 6 Tranmere Rovers 1 (After extra time) day lughf represent the human face against the system. The' footballing argument is underlined by this season's Second Division. But for the nonsense of creating an even larger top division, Sheffield Wednesday, the Rumbelows Cup victors and manifestly a First Division club, First Class Bowling Best Innings Performances Emburey (Mlddx) 37-11-71-7 Watkin (Glam) 25.5-6-65-6 Waqar Younls (Surrey) Lanes Waqar Younls (v Lawrence (Gloucs) 25-4-77-6 Foster (Glam) Somerset 28.2-3-84-6 A DeFreltas (Lanes) 31.5-6-88-6 Medlycott (Surrey) Camb U. 26.5-6-98-6 Yesterday Aqlb Javed (Hants) Notts Best Match Performances Waqar Younls (v 44-12-122-11 Lawrence (v 52.1-10-129-11, Medlycott (v Camb U) 51.5-17-134-11 Waqar Younls (v Hants) 49-10-136-11 A A Donald (Warwlcks) A A Donald (v Yorks) 36.3-7-96-10 Clean Bowled Waqar Younls (Surrey) 7 Foster (Glamorgan) -6 TAMerrlcx (Kent) 6 A Connor (Hants) 8 Cowans (Mlddx) 6 LBW A A Donald (Warwlcks) 9 Bakker (Hants) 6 A Foster (Essex) ...6 A Pick 6 A Smith (Warwlcks) 5 5 wickets In art Innings A A Donald 5 Waqar.

Younls Medlycott (Surrey) 2 Walkin (Glamorgan) 2 Lawrence (Gloucs) 2 Thomas' ..............2 County Performance' Bowling from where the savings would come was not obvious to the naked, jaded eye and proceeded to spoil. 'Our tactics were he said. 'We were always prepared for extra time and penalties. And so the cat is out of the bag. The tactics that blighted the World Cup, and threatened to win it for Argentina until Germany were awarded a traditional, disputed penalty towards the end of a dull final, have become respectable among coaches.

Like the professional foul and abuse of the offside law, they present a challenge to the administrators. Fortunately, although this may appear the most delicate of problems, it has the most simple solution: the abolition of penalty deciders in all Fifa and Uefa finals. They have become a distraction from the game itself, a refuge from the fear of losing. They may have value in the knockout stages of tournaments though personally I should prefer to see the team who commit fewer fouls progress but no place in the conferring of titles. If neither contestant can win a football championship on football alone, as was the case in Bari, the championship should be withheld.

Instead of winners' and losers' medals, finalists' medals should be distributed to both sides. The only sensible alternative is a replay, which served the European Cup well enough when Bayern Munich overcame Atletico Madrid in 1974, but times have changed and the growth in numbers of support in sets Bolton paid, if any thing, for not realising early enough that after winning battles all season, their war was still not over. They took 65 minutes to create a decent scoring chance, then missed those they made to be finally undone in the first period of "extratime; b'y Trarmiefe's substitute Chris Malkin. He took Tranmere into the Second Division for the first time in 52 years when Bran-nan's shot rebounded nicely for him off Felgate's legs. Debate about the play-offs does not, and will not, change.

Dass Norman Harris stands had been half-promised as part of a phase two development but talk of that has now evaporated. Development at Trent Bridge has provided a new press box in a far-distant corner of the ground. It is well supplied with TV sets, which your correspondents spend much time watching. A correspondent reminds me that it isn't only the players who disturb the traditional quiet of county cricket grounds, with their shouts of encouragement. Your traditional, 'placid' spectators have a nasty habit of turning on one of their own, with stentorian cries of 'Sit dovmV In particular, a cross remark muttered recently by one such spectator has been quoted.

'You would Mr Grumpy of Chelmsford is supposed to have said, 'that people who come to a match like this would know not to move around behind the bowler's The question posed is whether this is a logical proposition, and we can do no better than to throw it to our readers. The most convincing answer, or comment, sent to me will win a prize of extreme rarity and possibly historic value: one of the first white cricket balls that come off the experimental production line at Duke's. The emotions which surface in Hampshire at the probable farewell of Gordon Greenidge may well include a committeeman's recollection of a bruised shin at the county's re-engagement meeting at the end of 1969. The bruise is said to have been inflicted by captain Richard Gilliat, convinced of the potential of Greenidge, a raw youngster who at that stage had played only for the 2nd XI and for Hampshire Bantams. It's a pity that England's captain, Raymond Illingworth, couldn't have made the point as brutally when, in 1973, he unsuccessfully suggested to his selectors that Greenidge be asked about his availability for England.

The opener's West Indian career began the next year. I 8 A Sal guided him towards a hopeless cause. Even the more restrained members of a 35,000 crowd thought he might provide something resembling the Mar-adoha effect upon Naples. He could do worse than try. The sheer style of the football in Rome was a reminder that quality still runs deep in the leading countries, if only players are encouraged to express themselves.

Then it was on to Bari; surely this could not be the promised land for which alL ambitious teams were being built? There is a rot at the top, and it must be cutout. Neal: Inconsolable Worcs Glamorgan At Worcester. Worcs won toss. Worcs: First Innings: 205 (91.5 overs) (T Curtis 70; A Hick 50). GLAMORGAN: First innings A Butcher Ibw.b Morris Radford 8 Shasfrl not out 84,.

Metson Rhodes Maynard Illingworth .5 Holmes Ibw Lampltt 15 I Smith Curtis 14 Croft Moody 3 Watkln Moody Lampltt ....10 Bastlen Curtis 1 Frost Moody ..0 Extras (4b 3lb 13 Fall of Wickets: 1-22, 2-28, 4-47. Bo wll Diiley -1 1 9.3-2-60-4;.-' Radford 10- 1-42-2; Lampltt -v 20-5-37-2; Newport 11- 2-32-2. WORCS, Second Innings Curtis Ibw Watkln 14 Lord Ibw A Hick Morris Frost. 0 Moody not.out...-..:....,-... A Neale Ibw Rhodes not out Extras (7lb --9 Total 4 Fall of Wickets, To Bsti Illingworth, Newport.

Lampltt, Radlord. G'R Bonus Points: Glamorgan 5 Worcs 6. Umpires: I Burgess and Leadbeater. WarWicks Yorkshire At Edgbaston. Yorks won toes; Warwlcks: First Innings: 354 (309-8 100 overs) (Radcllfle 68, Ostler 77, 99; Fletcher 6-70).

YORKSHIRE: FIRST Innings Moxon Moles Booth 37 A A Metcalfe Donald ,.44 0 Bvas c'Small Reeve ...33 R.JBIsksy Reeve Smith; 5 Robinson Small A Kellstt Piper. ......30 Carrlck b. Gough 24 Hartley Piper Donald Fletcher not A Robinson -0 Extras (6b 141b 2w ..:.24 Total (80.3 overs) .......217 Fall of Wickets: 1-89, 2-94. 3-111, 4-141, 5-150, 6-150, 7-201, 8-201, 9-217, 10-217. Bowling: Donald 12.3-4-28-4; Small 19-8-34-2; Smith 13-6-29-1: fleeve 17-5-44-1; Booth 19-5-62-2.

WARWICKSHIRE: Second Innings A Moles not out :.,............60 Ratclllle not out ........43 Extras'(7lb 2w :...11 -Total (O 114 To Bat: A Lloyd, Ostler, A Smith, A Reeve, Piper, A Booth, Small. Munton, A A Donald. Bonus Points: Warwlcks 8 Yorks 5. Umpires: Hampshire and A A Jones. Lancashire Sussex At Old Trafford.

Lanes won toss. Sussex: First Innings! 209 (68.2 overs) (H A Bunting no 51). LANCASHIRE: First Innings Mendls Dodemalde 13 Fowler Smith Plgott 32 A Atherton Moores Jones 39 Falrbrother Moores Bunting 22 Hegg Pigott. 86 Lloyd Ibw Jones 45 Watkinson Ibw Salisbury 41 Wasim Akram Moores Bunting 37 A DeFreltas Bunting ...60 Hughes Bunting 1 Yates not out 1 Extras .24 Total 401 Fall of Wioketai 1-13, 2-67, 3-110, 4-127. 5-225, 6-264, 7-30B, 8-398, 9-398, 10-401.

Bowling: Jones 26-4-68-2; Dodemalde 5.2-1-21-1; Bunting 19.2-3-99-4; Plgott 23-3-88-2; Salisbury 36-11-86-1. Scare st 100 oversi (339-7) SUSSEX: Second Innings Lenham Hegg DeFreltas ...18 Hall not out 47 Parker Mendls Yates 17 I Salisbury nonout 5 Extras (3b 11b 5nb) 9 Total (8 wkts) 06 Fatl of Wlckatsi 1-41, 2-86. Bonus Pclntsi Lanes 8 Sussex 5. their season by entertaining, the Italian champions, Sampdoria, at an Olympic Stadium waiting for Gazza. Banners wishing the invalid a happy birthday were held aloft before an exhilarating 3-3 draw graced by a sensational goal from the German striker Riedle, who had beaten three defenders in the penalty area.

If Gazza ever arrives in Rome, he will be anything but a one-man team. The midfielder Pin was another who took the eye as Dino Zoffs side did much to contradict the: view that Gazza's advisers have smacked against Felgate's bar. Bolton sent on reserve striker Reeves for the (comparatively) expensive Cunningham. It almost did so immediately, but Nixon denied Darby with his first real save and Comstive' missed so hideously that he will shut his eyes whenever the video is re-run. Boiton Wandarara: Felgate; Brown, Cow-drlll, Comstlve, Seagraves, Stubb9.

Storer (Green -Thompson, -(Reeves 63), Phllllsklrk, Darby Tranmere Rovers, Nixon; Hlgglns, Bran-nan, Irons, Hughes; Garnett, Morrlssey, Martlndale (Harvey (Malkin 13), Cooper. Thomas RstoraaiK Hackett (Sheffield): wsmmssm QLOUCS: Second Innings -GO Hodgson c.Hussaln Scott Ibw 15 A Wrlght.c Topley Andrew 8 CWJ Athey Ibw Andrew. 4. Alleyne Garnham ...46 Russell Foster, Lloyds Garnham b. Foster 56 .0 Lawrence sub A Smith Foster 4 De La Pena 0 A Bablngton not 0 Extras (1w 4nb) ,5 Total Fall of Wlcketsi 1-35, 2-51 5-84, 6-159, 7-171, 8-177, 9-191, 10-191.

Bowling: Fosteor 16-4-54-5: Andrew Prlngle Chllds- 9-2-47-1; Topley 7.2-1-35-1. Bonus Points: Basax 8 Qleucs 3. Umpires: Holder and Palmer. Essex beat Gloucestershire by an Innings and 124 runs. Middlesex Kent At Lord's.

Mlddx won Kent: First Irmlngs, 160 (54.5 overs), MIDDLESEX: FIRST: Innings I Hutchinson Marsh Penn A Roseberry Marsh Merrick ........2. Gattlng Marsh 34 Ramprakash Marsh Ellison: Brown not 47 Emburey c.Taylor 5 Williams Marsh' :..0 Farbrace Marsh ...0 Taylor Marsh Merrick. 21 ARC Fraser Marsh 12 Hughes Sub 1 Extras (8b 4lb 18 Fall of Wlcketsi 1-10 2-46 3-69 6-92 7-93, 8-129, Bowling: McCague 9.1-4-21-1; Merrick 18-4-61-3; Davis 3.4-0-11-1; Penn 5-0-19-1; Ellison 23-9-39-4. KENT! Second Innings Taylor Hutchinson 84 Benson Fraser Taylor ....1 Ward Ibw Taylor 4 Cowdrey Ibw Taylor 20 Cowdrey Gattlng ......38 Ellison not out 35 A Marsh not 57 Extras (2b Bib 7nb) 15 Total (B.wfcts) 834 Fall of Wickets: 1-9, 2-23, 3-81, 4-118, 5- 137. To Ban Davis, Penn, McCague, A Merrick.

Bonus Potntai Mtddx 5 Kent 5. Umpires: Dudleston and Wight. Notts Hampshire At Trent Bridge. Notts won toss. HAMPSHIRE, First Innings Mlddleton Ibw Pick 26 Smith ..22 CO Nicholas not out 107 A Smith Pollard 46 I Gower Johnson Stephenson 10 James not out 21 Extras (9lb lOnb) ....19 Total (4 wkts dec 83.0 overs) 2S1 Fall of Wlcketsi 1-40, 2-81, 3-51.

4-175. Bowllngi Stephenson 17-6-23-2; Pick 13-2-43-1; Evans 12-4-21-1; Hammings 25-5-75-0; Afford 16.5-2-80-0. To Bali A Aymes, Maru, A Connor, Bakker, Aqlb Javed NOTTINGHAMSHIRE: First Innings French Bakker Zl Hemmlngs Aqlb Javed Z5 A Pick 8akker A Afford not out Extras (6b Bib 1w 4nb) 1S Total 289 Fall of Wlckela: 1-5 2-127 3-162 4-181 5-194 6- 237 7-237, 8-275. 9-285, 10-289. Bowllngi Bakker 21.1-10-42-2; Javed 3fr6-91-6; Connor 30-5-62-1: James 10-4-28-0: Maru 24-7-52-1.

NOTTS: Second Innings Broad not out 4 Pollard Aymes Aqlb Javed 0 Robinson not 7 Extras (3w 1nb) 4 Total (1 wkt) IB Fall of Wickets: 1-2. To Bat: Johnson, Randall, Evans, F- Stephenson, French, Hemmlngs, A Pick, A Afford. Bonus Points: Notts 4 Hants 6. Umpires: Plews and Kitchen. overs lb nb 605 26 31 9 18 84 611.1 20 39 8 33 100 483.5 15 53 3 34 105 744.5 17 49 10 34 110 603.1 24 4 8 46 116 699.2 33 78 3 4 118 890.3 25 40 4, 62 131 611.3 .26 SO 7 SO 133 553.5 35 72 9 22 138 970.4 52 52 14 21 139 617.1 15 SO 10 70 145 663.3 13 62 9 73 157 677.4 25 68 14 59 166 874.5 34 86 16 32 168 773 24 76 11 58 169 802.3 16 70 16 77 179 796.3 36 87 9 62' 194 679 56 87 16 46 207 lie Assurance tionship Table Bt Bl Pts 5 3 0 2 17 16 81 5 3 1 1 13 16 77 5 2 0 3 15 12 59 4 2 1 1 10 11 53 4 1 0 3 14 15 45 5 1 0 4 19 9 44 5 1 1 3 12 14 42 5 11 3 10 11 37 5 0 1 4 12 12 24 4 0 13 12 11 23 4 0 2 2 10 11 21 5 0 1 4 12 9 21 4 0 1 3 11 10 21 4 0 1 3 8 11 19 4 0 1 3 10 8 18 4 0 1-3 7 9 18 2 0 0 2 6 3 9 Yorkshire Kent Gloucs Somerset Worcestershire Northants Middlesex Lancashire Surrey Cambs Unlv Leicestershire Derbyshire Notts Sussex Glamorgan Hampshire Warwickshire Essex (2) Warwlcks (5) Kent (18) Surrey (9) Notts (14) Sussex (17) Glam (8) Gloucs (13) Northants Lanes (6) Hants (3) Yorks (10) Somerset Derbys (12) Mlddlx (1) Lelcs (7) Worcs (4) Refuge Assurance League Table another loss early on.

Steel, big, strong Scottish journeyman of the lower divisions, was the victim of a bad fall and had to be substituted. His replacement Malkin, nippier and more subtle, immediately began making some intelligent runs behind Bolton's hitherto untroubled defence. A few minutes either side of half-time Malkin might have settled the match with headers from free-kicks. The first went in, but referee Hackett was no more ready for the kick than was the opposition. The second Tour Match 1st Day Of Three-Day Match Lelcs West Indians At Leicester.

Lelcs won tots. LEICESTERSHIRE: First Innings Boon Dujon 15 Briers Allen 68 Hepworth Logle Martyn Richardson i Potter Anthony Richards .....53 Smith Simmons Lewis Lara 72 A Nixon not Gidley not Extras (1b 81b 7w Total (7 wkt 300 Fall of Wlcketsi 1-27, 2-105, 3-158, 4-253, 5- 253, 6-317, 7-352. Bowling! Patterso 20-4-75-1 Al Ion 16-3-65-1; -Anthony 13-1r69-2; Walsh 19-5-60-1; Simmons 9-3-45-1; Richards 9-3-32-1. To Bait Mlllns, Magulre. WEST INDIES! First Innings Simmons not .........9 Lambert Magulre ....4 Richardson not out 6 Extras 1 Total (1 20 Fall of Wlcketsi 1-7.

To Bab Lara, I A Richards, A Logle, Dujon, HAG Anthony, OA Walsh, I B. A Allen, Patterson. Umplraai A Whitehead and Meyer Britannic Assurance Championship 2nd iilay of 3-day matches Northants Derby At Northampton. Derbys won toss. Northants: First Innings, 248 (84.5 overs) (Thomas 64, Ripley 53; Mortensen 5-57).

DERBYSHIRE: First Innings Barnet Lamb ....11 Bowler Ripley Thomas 0 Morris Walker Curran 87 Azharuddln Ibw :2, G.O'Gorman Ripley Thomas ..,4 Adams Ibw Capel 18 Krlkken Felton Curran 37 Jean-Jacques Cook Thomas pO Base Ripley Curran ......8 Malcolm Curran 6 H. Mortensen not out 1 Extras (4b 101b 1w) 15 Total (02.1 Overs) .189 Fall of Wicket! 1-1, 2-20, 3-37, 4-42, S-9S 6- 154, 7-157 8-170, 9-176, 10-189. Bowllngi Thomas' 17-3-62-4; Walker 13-2-42-1; Capel 8-2-30-1; Curran 13.1-1-39-4; Penberthy 1-0-2-0. NORTHANTS: Second Innings A Fordham Base A Felton Krlkken Mortensen 37 Bailey not out 33 Thomas not out 0 Extras (4lb 1w 1nb) 6 Total (3 wkts) 181 Fall of Wleketn 1-79, 2-180. To Bat: A Lamb, Capel, Curran, A Penberthy, Ripley, A Walker.

N.G Cook. Bonus Points! Derbys 6 Northants 5. Gloucestershire Essex At Bristol. Essex won toss. Gloucestershire: First Innings) 118 (47.4 overs).

ESSEX: First Innings A Gooch Lawerence 1 Stephenson Lloyds Smith 38 Prlchard Russell De La Penna 10 Hussain Russell Lawrence 67 A Garnham Bablngton 14 Pringls Ibw Lawrence 24 Sallm Malik Wright Lawrence 163 A Foster run out 39 Top ley not out 50 Extras (131b 14nb) Total (8 wkts dec) 433 Fall of Wickets: 1-4, 2-53, 3-60. 4-92, 5-192, 6-174 7-309, 8-433. Bowllngi Lawrence 27.2-4-111-4; Bablngton 28-3-101-1; Smith 21-2-68-1: De La Penna 12-0-69-1; Alleyne 4-0-21-0; Lloyds 7-1-35-0: Athey 3-0-15-0. DM not Bat: Andrew, Chllds. Score at 100 overu 421-7.

CREDIT is due to Tranmere Rovers for a victory just about merited on the day, but there can be no talk of just deserts when a team only missing automatic promotion on goal difference lose out in the play-offs. It was no consolation.a't all to-. Boltonfs manager Phil Neal that his team was spared Blackpool's fate on Friday of losing a trial by. penalties. Having won the European Cup with Liverpool by just such a dubious method, he would willingly have clutched at that straw and even volunteered to take one himself.

ttlhKsSir Cricket Diary BOLSTERED by one-day successes, England once again start a Test series looking forward rather than back. They'd better not look back, either, because figures reveal just how grim the last decade has been for this once-proud cricketing nation. They're actually at the bottom of the international table on one analysis, the result of totalling runs and. wickets for all Tests played by each country since 1980 and relating it to the comparable figure for their opponents in each of those matches. The West Indies head the table.

Throughout the period they have averaged 34.0 runs a wicket to their opponents' 25.9. In terms of innings totals that's effectively 340 to 259, an advantage of 81. The full table reads thus: For Ag Diff 340 259 81 348 313 35 329 333 -4 Zealand. 303 336 -33 India 344 392 -48 306 360 -54 Suddenly, players at Headin-gley are reported to be out to such balls as the 'perfect leg-cutter' and the 'vicious breakback'. But it isn't the pitch or the bowlers that1 have changed, but the positioning of the reporters, thanks to the opening of a new press box end-on to the Headingley square.

It is, of course, where all the aficionados sit but, sadly, where most press boxes aren't sited. Eight of the 17 county grounds provide a press box square-on or diagonal to the pitch. At two the view is straight-is'h, while at only seven is it truly 'behind the line'. Historically, it seems that having an informed press was not high in the priorities of county clubs. The TCCB, moving boldly into a professional new era, are keen to change all that but have to say, diplomatically, that they're dependent on clubs having development plans at the non-pavilion end of grounds.

Well, Lord's did. They built the Compton and Edrich stands. A press box gantry atop the In wkts runs 'avg bp 9 86 2021 23.50 12 9 75 2065 27.50 16 10 77 2154 27.97 14 8 69 1942 28.14 15 9 80 2299 28.73 11 7 57 1659 29.10 12 11 69 2146 31.10 9 6 52 1639 31.52 9 7 57 1846 .32.38 11 7 56 1814 32.39 3 9 70 2409 34.41 11 8 50 1749 34.98 11 11 68 2456 36.11 8 8 47 1731 36.83 8 10 65 2521 36.78 12 6 46 1957 42.54 10 8 46 2262 49.17 9 11 NR PU 5 5 0 0 0 20 5 4 1 0 0 16 6 3 11 1 16 5 3 10 1 14 5-3 1 1 0 14 4 3 1 0 0 12 5 3 2 0 0 12 6 2 3 0 1 10 6 2 3 0 1 10 4 2 2 0 0 8 5 2 3 0 0 8 4 2 2 0 0 a 5 12 1 1 8 5 12 1 1 8 5 1 4 0 0 4 5 1 4 0 0 4 6 0 6 0 0 0 Essex Warwickshire Glamorgan Notts Surrey Kent Leicestershire Yorkshire Lancashire Worcestershire Hampshire Derbyshire Middlesex Gloucs Northants Somerset Sussex Fielding Wlcketkeeplng Cts St Tl Metson (Glam) 27 1 28 Sargeant (Surrey) 17 6 23 A Garnham (Essex) 20 0 20 Whittlcase (Lelcs) 15 2 17 Piper (Warwlcks) .16 0 16 run out Middlesex 5 Kent 4 Essex. ....4 Northamptonshire 2 Derbyshire 2 Worcestershire 2 Nottinghamshire 2 for 1991 First Class In runs wkts avg bp 9 2435 56 43.48 19 7 1752 5 31.28 16 9 2675 73 36.64 15 8 1967 48 40.97 14 6 1732 36 48.11 13 7 1760 48 36.66 13 9 1704 72 23.66 13 9 2166 54 40.11 12 6 1442 42 34.33 12 9 2002 63 31.77 12 9 2073 66 31.40 12 7 1760 55 32.00 11 7 1702 50 34.04 10 7 1664 61 27.27 10 5 1235 48 25.72 8 7 1572 56 28.07 7 3 866 24 35.66 6 Nottinghamshire (4) Somerset (8) Warwickshire (14) Middlesex (3) Worcestershire (11) Lancashire (2) Gloucestershire (9) Leicestershire (16) Northants (17) Derbyshire (1) Hampshire (5) Surrey (6) Kent (10) (12) Sussex (13) Yorkshire (7) Glamoraan 15) (Last year's positions In brackets) Today Refuge Assurance League! Derbyshire Yorkshire (Chesterfield, 1.05); Glamorgan Essex (Pontypridd, 2.00); Lancashire Sussex (Old Trallord, 2.00); Middlesex Kent, (Southgate, 2.00); Northamptonshire Hampshire (Northampton, 2.00); Warwickshire Somerset (Edgbaston, 2.00); Worcestershire Surrey (Worcester, 2.00). Tour Matohi Leicestershire West Indies (Leicester, to Mon).

Bowling Averages for 1991 Overs Mdns 134.0 28 104.5 25 93.5 38 64.1 11 67.1 11 114.5 38 122.0 37 137.0 41 187.4 41 74.4 16 117.0 27 106.0 17 190.4 43 110.0 28 68.0 14 107.0 37 129.3 33 121.5 10 116.2 19 119.4 31 164.5 .50 156.0 32 Runs 367 291 161 179 189 301 ,297 '298 492 226 317 273 528 255 257 234 379 409 374 305 409 516 Wkts Avge 29 12.65 22 13.22 10 16.10 11 11 16.27 17.18 17 17.70 14 21.21 14 21.28 23 21.39 10 22.60 14 22.64 12 22.75 23 22.95 11 23.18 11 23.36 10 23.40 16 23.68 17 24.05 15 24.93 12 25.41 16 25.56 20 25.80 Sussex Lancashire Kent Notts Essex Hampshire Warwickshire Glamorgan Middlesex Northants Yorkshire Somerset Gloucs Surrey Derbyshire Leicestershire Worcestershire First Class Batting Averages Player Prlchard (Essex) Morris (Glamorgan) Wells (Sussex) Smith (Hampshire) Benson (Kent) Broad (Notts) A Atherton Roebuck (Somerset) Gattlng (Mlddx) Smith (Sussex) Johnson (Notts) Randall (Notts) Stephenson (Essex) Azharuddln Morris (Derbyshire) Athey (Gloucs) Harden (Somerset) Fowler (Lanes) Cowdrey Watkinson Whltaker im Malik Ins 5 7 5 9 5 8 5 8 5 6 4 6 4 6 4 7 5 6 5 8 5 9 4 7 5 8 5 7 5 6 5 8 4 7 5 9 5 8 4 7' 5 7 5 8 NO Runs HS Avge 4 378 190 126.00 3 599 15Sn 99.83 2 547 153n 91.16 0 716 200 89.50 0 624 257 78.00 0 538 166 67.25 1 336 138 67.20 2 331 101 66.20 2 389 180 64.63 1 445 126n 63.57 3 376 97n 62.68 2 304 104 60.80 2 361 85 80.16 2 295 116n 59.00 0 345 131 57.80 1 395 127 56.42 1 333 134 55.50 1 435 113 54.37 2 316 109n 52.66 2 262 114n 52.40 0 359 99 51.28 1 353 173 50.42 player A A Donald (Warwlcks) Waqar Younls (Surrey) Carrlck (Yorks) Lawrence (Gloucs) A Smith (Warwlcks) Medlycott (Surrey) ACS Plgott (Sussex) Prlngle (Essex) Watkln (Glams) Dllley (Worcs) Evans (Notts) Frost (Glamorgan) A Foster (Essex) Mortensen (Derbys) Tennant (Liecs) Bastlen (Glam) A DeFreltas (Lanes) CPenn(Kent) Foster Hartley RJMaru A Merrick.