The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 19

OBSERVER SUNDAY 7 AUGUST 1 988 1 0 ADRIAN MURRELL Hd for a flam) ff S'CD BCD nl Mm Mtalcgj SCYLD BERRY at The Oval 1111! NEIL FOSTER is a remarkable young cricketer, perhaps the best we have in England at the moment. He bowled magnificently at The Oval and his innings yesterday was invaluable, a bonus from the night watchman that England could not have expected. It was such a pity that Graham Gooch became bogged down for so long. Foster has always looked so full of ability from his earliest days with Essex and it has been unfortunate, both for his county and his country, that he has struggled so often with injury. The temptation is to conclude that he has not been nursed properly but a more probable cause is the intense pressure put upon young fast bowlers in these days of four domestic competitions, three of which are of limited overs, and the ever-proliferating number of international matches.

When I think back to the way-the young True-man was so carefully introduced by Yorkshire, and then so wisely captained by Norman Yar-dley, I have to. question the environment of our young players. Are we getting the proper leadership from county committees and captains? Of course it was much easier, to. develop young players properly within the context of the three-day county championship. But it has to be said that the remedy still lies with the county clubs.

English cricket needs another two or three Neil Fosters, for it is certain that unless and until we find more bowlers of the the next over Dujon made his first mistake of the series when he failed to hold Gooch low to his right. These two escapes caused Gooch to retreat into his shell, shortly after two consecutive straight drives off Walsh had raised his 50 and hopes of a counter-attack. Not that Gooch deliberately scorned any half-volleys. England suffered a sickening loss when Pringle and DeFreitas departed in Harper's first two overs of the lengthy evening session. Essex then mustered 25 runs for the final wicket before Gooch ait to deep backward point.

Len Hutton is the only Englishman to have carried his bat against West Indies. It was in the second over of the West Indian innings that Jack Richards made as if to go for an edged no-ball, pulled out and i left Gooch to dive painfully to his left. Pringle inherited the poisoned chalice which has now claimed four captains this summer. ENGLAND Ant Innings 203 (R Smith 57; Ambrose 3-31) Second InnlnQe A Qoocn OrMnMge AmbraM Curt Ibw IS Bailey bBenlemln A A SmHh Ibw Benjamin .0 A Foster Logic Maynard and .10 Cspel Ibw Walsh ......12 Richards Ouon .....3 Pringle Harper A DeFreltae Kayras Harper .0 JHCnIltfanotout ...0 Extras (b 3. lb 15, rib 19) 33 Total .202 Fall ot wickets: 140, 2-65, 345, 4-1 OS, S-12S, S-152, 7-1S7.

a 175, 0-177. Bowling: Marshall 25-S-52-1, Ambrose 24.1-1040-1, Benjamin 224424, Walsh 124-21-2, Harpsr 6-3-9-2. WEST INDIES First tarings 183 (Duofl 64; Foster 5-M) Second Innings 0 Oratnlag not DLHeyneenotout .15 Extras .3 Total (0 wits) Bowling to data: Fostar 5-1-224, DsFreltae 8-0-21-0, CMMa 04-114, Pringla 44-174. ENGLAND'S chances of ending their 17-Test run without a victory are slim. The bubble which had been so miraculously sustaining them burst at the moment Graham Gooch, after playing a lone hand against the West Indian fast bowling, dislocated the third finger of his left one fielding in the slips and had to have it re-set in hospital.

Certain batting by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes in their opening stand has taken West Indies to within 154 runs of their fourth victory in this series, and their fourteenth in their last IS Tests against England. While the pitch is turning for Childs, and Foster has been magnificent, there has been no sign of the levity shown by the West Indians in their first innings. Nevertheless, Gooch has brought back some of that much talked about pride by helping England to compete on level terms for the best part of three days. His own innings, of 84 in seven hours, was one of the most famous by an England captain in recent years, only rivalled by Tony Greig's century when feverishly sick in Calcutta, Mike Gatting's fierce but controlled burst at Faisalabad last winter, and several exhibitions by David Gower. Gooch was grilled by the heat of the day and the West Indian bowling in about equal measure.

He cannot be criticised for being slow since England had to learn to walk against West Indies before they could run, and at every step he took he lost a partner. Besides, his runs were scored off only 240 balls. Whenever Gooch unleashed an attacking stroke, he was cheered to the echo of Ken-nington. When he lost a partner, the West Indian supporters lent their whistles and horns to the atmosphere, a welcome addition when a gen- Seven hours off defiance: Gooch smashes Walsh for four. Hufrflfooairey's Duodt mm Silly seasoning Newport's mean spell tested with the short-pitched ball before pitching one up and receiving an unusual return catch off bat and pad.

All this while, Gooch was dormant and the ball swung extraordinarily. On a hot day and a dry pitch, without a cloud over London and no breeze to speak of, the ball moved through the stale air before and after pitching. No doubt Marshall used the age-old tricks of the fast bowler's trade to preserve the ball's shine but the thickness of the ball's seams, increased without statute, must also have come into play. Gooch had scored his first 26 runs on Friday evening from the first six overs of the innings. On 38 overnight, he added two more runs relatively quickly yesterday morning.

There, on 40, he stuck for most of the morning, for 70 minutes in all, although he received no more than 27 balls in that period, so large two thirds was Foster's portion of the strike and so slow the over rate. On through the afternoon the faithful carthorse plodded, doing the unglamorous task which the young ponies had eschewed. Gooch reached 50 in the sixtieth over of the innings, the last 24 runs to that landmark taking him over four hours. More importantly, though, he kept losing partners Capel and Jack Richards in the afternoon session for 47 runs. Richards was dropped, as well as being frequently passed, before he was caught behind.

He was part of the amazing sequence which saw three catches go down in 10 balls. First Gooch was dropped by Harper off Walsh, then Richards by Harper, again at second slip, off Ambrose. In disbelief that he could be out. Babington then showed him what he should have done, lofting Illingworth for six while the fielders crowded close for the kill. This was not long delayed, with Newport, after a lean spell of late, fully deserving five wickets for his hostile bowling and ability to move the ball either way.

Lord and Bent began confidently enough, seeming to establish that there is no venom in the pitch which had caused the Sussex collapse. Then both went within a few balls, Lord to a simple case of playing down the wrong line, Bent to one which lifted awkwardly. Leatherdale, too, was painfully struck by one which lifted off a length as he and Hick settled in. A couple of boundaries in an over went to Hick's head and his misjudged hook went to Lenham's safe hands. That ended hopes of elegant bats-manship but Worcestershire are just as happy to graft for their runs.

Clarke teased them for a time with his nice variations of spin and flight before Neale sorted him out and went on to play the day's only authoritative innings. His mastery has left his team in a commanding position. Warwlcks Northants AtEdgbaston Warwickshire won toee NORTHANTS: First Innings Cook Merrick 37 Larklna Lloyd Merrick 49 A Fordham ibw Reeve 10 Wild Ibw Reeve 0 Gouldstone GIHord 50 Stanley Aall Din Reeve 14 Ripley Thome Small 11 Cook Humpage Marrlck 9 Davis Humpage Merrick .9 A Walker not out .40 Robinson Humpage Parsons 4 Extras (b 4, lb 12, nb 12) 28 Total (69.3 overs) 261 Fall of wickets: 1-79, 2-96, 3-96, 4-123. 5-149. 6-179, 7-199, 8-209, 9-217.

Bowling: Small 19-441-1, Merrick 26-7-85-4, Reeve 18-2454, Parsons 12.34-22-1. GIHord 14442-1. WARWICKSHIRE: First Innings A Lloyd not out 44 A Moles not out 26 Extras (b 2, lb 1) 3 Total (0 wkts; 17 overs .73 Close ol play TOUR MATCH Notts Sri Lanka At Trent Bridge Nona won toaa SRI LANKA: First Innings 3 Ksruppu Scott Birch 158 A Sllva Evans (K) Cairns 3 A Samarasekera Ibw Calrna 0 Mendls Scott Mlllns 24 Madugalle Scott Evans 72 Tlllekeratne Scott Calrna 5 Ratnayake not out. 17 Mahanahu Newell 8 Extras (b 2, lb 9. nb 9) 20 Total (7 wkts, dec) .307 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-12, 3-45.

4-210. 5-222, 6-294. 7407. Bowling: Mlllns 154-95-1, Calrna 19-2-704. Sakelby 4.2-244.

Evana 22446-1, Birch 17.44-44-1, Newell 2.44-13-1. NOTTS First Innings BC Broad not out 12 Pollard Tlllekeratne Labrooy ....16 Newell not out 7 Extras (lb 3, nb3) 6 Total (1 wkt) ZiT Close at pley MICHAEL CAREY at Old Trafford stances, Lancashire's innings followed an erratic course and although four of their batsmen reached 30, a pitfall generally lay in wait for them, starting with the dismissal of Mendis who was bowled behind his legs sweeping. By now Emburey and Tufnell were operating in harness, a rare and glorious moment these days for the purist. And the sight of Emburey, relaxed and floating the ball up, was as encouraging as anything to the impartial observer while Tufnell, spinning the ball and varying his line of attack, confirmed bis reputation as the most promising slow left-armer in the game. As the overs raced by 47 in the morning, 48 in the afternoon and, finally, 126 in the day Lancashire batted as positively as they dared, particularly Atherton, Watkinson and Hayhurst.

Atherton, calm and classical in defence, drove fluently when the ball was over-pitched and looked in less trouble than most for 59 overs until, driving at Emburey, he was beaten and bowled by a uine form of self-expression. For both sides he made yesterday's cricket a spectacle, beheld from every seat of the Oval and from the roofs and windows of surrounding flats. England's captain must also have gladdened the selectors' hearts, for so long as his finger heals Gooch can be appointed for the next Test against Sri Lanka and the Cowdrey experiment forgotten as a ghastly aberration. If they do so, it will not be asked why Gooch was not appointed in the first place for these last two Tests. Gooch has undoubtedly brought the best out of his Essex men, and Foster in particular.

He has bowled here as he did in bis finest hour, at Madras almost four years ago, on a pitch equally pacy. Foster also produced a splendid little innings as night-watchman. In fact, Foster's 34 was not all that little by England's standards. There have only been 14 higher individual scores by then: batsmen this summer. Foster edged a couple of boundaries through the slips, but he played two authentic off-drives and found batting easier than any other England player.

Foster hooked Marshall too, which must have done wonders for dressing room morale. Marshall indeed did not find the ball running his way yesterday. He was persistently, no-balled and had to leave the brunt of the wicket-taking to Winston Benjamin. With his whippy' wrist injecting venom into his fast medium pace, Benjamin took the leading role for the first time this summer when he bowled throughout the morning. He took both the wickets to fall: Foster and Maynard, whom Benjamin thoroughly TONY PAWSON at Kidderminster but battled on, playing straight and attempting little.

Wells found Newport just as demanding and was caught in the gully from one which bounced more than usual. From a bowler's viewpoint Gould's batting was a frustrating mixture of fallible defence, stolen singles and walloped boundaries. But despite much playing and missing at Radford his positive approach seized back the initiative and encouraged Lenham to more adventurous stroke-play as well. Lenham found nice timing and touch, stroking the ball freely through the gaps until Newport switched ends to slip one past him. Colin Wells, having been missed in the gully off one ball from Pridgeon, was caught in the slips off the next.

Gould, however, was now playing fluently and was given solid support by Pigott. The lunch interval and Newport's lively bowling undermined Pigott and Moores, too, soon misread his swing. Gould went swiftly to a courageous 50. When Illingworth hit his stump he remained rooted in Leicester Hampshire At Leicester Leicester won toss LEICESTERSHIRE: First Innings Boon Parks Bakker 2 Briers Smith JsHerles 28 Willey Nicholas Msru ....98 I Gower Parks JsHerles 10 JJWhitakerbMaru 28 Potter Ibw Jefferles 26 Whlttlcase Parks Jetteries 34 Agnew Nicholas Jetteries 14 Taylor st Parks Maru 6 Ferris not out 36 PM Such run out 1 Extras (b 4, lb 5, nb 8) 15 Total Fall ot wickets: 14, 240, 3-74, 4-120, 5-191. 6-217, 7-247.

8-248. 9-255. Bowling: JsHerles 30.34-1264, Bakker 13445-1, Maru 31-7494, Ayl-Ing 14-4-34-0. James 12-4-254. Bonus points: Laics 3 Hants 4 Score at 100 oven: 2844 HAMPSHIRE: First Innings Scott Ferris 2 CL Smith not out 3 0 James not out 0 Extras (nb 5) 5 Total (1 wkt; 6 overs) ZTo Fall ol wicket: 1-7.

Close ol plsy Somerset Derbyshire AtWeslon-super-Msre Derby won toss DERBYSHIRE: First innings Bowler Marks 27 Wright run out 31 Maher Hardy Trump 0 Morris Waugh Mallsnder 24 Goldsmith Burns Marks 37 Roberts Mallender Trump 62 Sharma Roebuck Scrlvan 80 Newman Pringla Trump 1 A Wsrnsr not out 45 Mortensen not out 6 Extras (b 7, lb 4) .11 Total (8 wkts) 324 Fall ot wickets: 1-58, 248, 342. 4- 122, 5-124, 6-257, 7-269, 8-277. Bonus points: Osrbys 3 Somerset 2 Score at 100 overs: 2624 Close ot ptey Worcester Sussex At Worcester 8usssx won toss SUSSEX: First Innings Lenham Newport 38 Falkner Rhodes Radford 1 Parker Ibw Radford .4 A Wells Radford Newport 1 I Gould Illingworth 60 Wells Hick Pridgeon 2 ACS Pigott Rhodes Newport 12 Moores Rhodes Newport 3 A Clarke Neale Newport 4 A Bunting not out 1 A Babington Leatherdale I'worlh 10 Extras (b 4. lb 4, nb 4 Total (47.3 overe) 146 Fall of wickets: 1-2. 2-20.

347, 448. 5- 75. 6-110, 7-128, 8-134, 9-136. Bowling: Radford 10-1-29-2, Newport 21-4424. Pridgeon 8-1-19-1, Illingworth 8.3-2-28-2.

Bonus points: Sussex 0, Wores.4. WORCESTER: First Innings Bent Wells (C) Pigott 16 Lord Ibw Babington 10 A Hick Lenham Babington 18 A Leatherdale Wells Clarke 24 A Neale not out 66 Weston not out 42 Extras (lb 3) 3 Total (4 wkts; SO overe) ....179 Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-23, 342. 442. ctoee 01 play class of Maurice Tate, Alec Bedser and Brian Statham we shall struggle. However, I do feel we have the makings of a new team at The Oval.

I would be more confident if we could include Graeme Hick immediately but I was pleased overall with the appearance of the younger batsmen. I feel I need to clarify my remarks last month on playing the West Indian attack off the front foot. Since the game began batsmen have preferred to go onto the back foot because that gives them time to see the ball through the air and off the pitch; a bowler who allows back-foot play is in effect bowling badly. Ninety per cent of batsmen given out Ibw are on the back foot. I am not advocating plonking the left foot down the wicket to every ball but a batsman should always be ready to do this when the ball is new or when facing a bowler who brings the ball in from the off-side.

So many of our young batsmen seem unable to build an innings too many crash-bang limited overs? falling to a lapse of concentration, a movement back and across the stumps, a fatal twitch against these West Indians. disciplined or involved in controversy. For example we have Geoff Cook, Chairman of the Cricketers' Association, involved in an unseemly row about the enforcement of the follow-on with the eminently sensible captain of Worcestershire, Phil Neale. In May they would have laughed the whole thing off but no one seemed to think it very funny in August. Not to worry, the TCCB are looking into it.

At Hove, Sussex have decided that Imran Khan should play just one more game for them, certainly no more than that a decision which from a distance seems to benefit their opponents rather than themselves. And at Trent Bridge there has been a remarkably public airing of differences between Nottinghamshire's international opening pair. So amidst all these irritations I was cheered to read of Dorset's victory over Cheshire as reported by the Sun, not usually a fountain of information for Minor County enthusiasts. The headline 'Rev Wideboy bowls 'em over' was drawn to my attention. It concerns the Reverend Andrew Wingfield-Digby, once my colleague at Oxford University, now the captain of Dorset.

Cheshire, needing 201 for victory, were stumbling to a draw with the score at .92 for six. Digby instructed his bowler to bowl 14 wides, all of which went for four. The run chase was resumed and Dorset duly won the game by 18 runs. Masterful captaincy, (the TCCB are looking into it). I wonder what he's doing this winter.

i MARTIN PALMER In Milan back to the end of the day meant an agonising wait for the five crews involved. How much this affected the British crew is difficult to say, but in the end they produced a disastrous row and finished last. The Chinese girls, third last year, won their country's first world gold medal in rowing and, despite the pre-race couison, Australia took silver. The Italians led throughout the men's eights, taking gold ahead of the Americans in 5:43.35, and also won the men's double sculls ahead of West Germany and the Netherlands. The junior championships are being held at the same time as the lightweights.

Today the British boys are involved in four finals, with at least two good medal prospects, and the girls are in one final. IT IS August and festival time: frantic preparations over the last week have transformed a public park at Weston-super-Mare and a public school playing field at Cheltenham into first-class cricket grounds. Where they used to stick up tents they now have massive marquees carefully manicured for eager sponsors. Now the caterers serve chilled white wine rather than pints of ale or scrumpy. Indeed at Canterbury last week there was Pimms to hand, but that idea hasn't yet permeated to the South-West.

All this talk of four-day cricket and the subsequent reduction of home fixtures has galvanised the relevant area committees into making special efforts this year to ensure that the festivals survive. For instance the Weston pavilion, once notorious for splinters and cold showers, has new plumbing and nearby -portable building fully equipped with comfy chairs and a TV where we can wander around with just our socks on. We still have salad for lunch but the lettuce is crisp and the puddings offer a bewildering selection for the batsmen who has just been dismissed at ten past one. If the weather is fine there'll be bumper crowds and the hard work, of the committee will be rewarded with another festival next year. August is also the silly season for professional cricketers.

Most of us are getting a little weary and our tolerance level has declined. Somerset are now engaged in a month of cricket where we play 27 days out of 31. I'm not sure how I'll react to a dropped catch off my bowling in week four. Stamina and perseverance now become more important than flair and skill. As exhaustion begins to dull our sense of perspective, failure becomes even harder to accept, especially as the cricket committees are starting to peruse the averages and make plans for next year's contracts.

This is also the time of year when cricketers, often the most unlikely ones, are being blazes and fades A RETURN to the good old days of sunshine and spin bowling, helmetless batsmen and rapid over rates left Middlesex dreaming of an end to their barren Championship run after dismissing Lancashire for 235 on a parched, turning pitch. Although they ended a testing evening session at 48 for three and must bat last on this pitch, they may feel that the quality of their spinners Emburey and Tufnell, who bowled 79 overs between them for 154 runs, may yet compensate for losing the toss. Another factor could well be the presence of Fraser who bowled impressively at either end of the Lancashire innings to take four wickets, and from his height of 6ft Sins could become increasingly hard to handle as the pitch wears, and tears, as it seems bound to do. Although the new ball was not exactly rubbed in the dust, Cowans and Fraser were put out to grass very quickly as Emburey, Tufnell and, to a lesser extent, Needham exploited conditions where the flighted ball would not only turn but often bounce awkwardly. Inevitably, in these circum- Larkins GLADSTONE SMALL returned from 12th man duties at The Oval but there was a long list of wounded and missing at Edgbaston where dogged not yet entirely out of the reckoning, and spasmodic Northants celebrated the sunshine with a solid performance by the bowlers but not much music from the bat after the opening burst.

Warwickshire's casualties included two recently-broken fingers, to Banks and Smith, to supplement the one that has kept Kallichar-ran out for seven weeks. Northants were minus Lamb, Capel, Bailey and, equally missed in bis present form with bat and ball, Richard Williams. Lloyd, as is his wont, asked the opposition to bat on winning the toss and Larkins, as is his wont but also his achievement in what has been a streaky season, set about the bowling with the minimum of preliminaries. Of the get-on-on-with-it-or-get-out school of opening batsmen Fowler, Metcalfe, Stovold, Mendis for a nucleus there is none more stimulating to watch Hi" VZKl IBMSJ '1 B. 1MB Gloucestershire fast bowler David Lawrence was involved in an angry outburst with a group of Yorkshire cricket fans at Cheltenham.

Complaining at their racial taunts the 24-year-old bowler stopped and shouted, 'I'll see you all Play stopped for a minute as a steward and police warned the group of drinkers. David Byas, who came into Yorkshire's side as a late replacement, made his maiden first-class century. The 24-year-old left-hander scored 112 before wicketkee-pert Jack Russell stumped him off his 211th ball. Australian Test bowler Terry Alderman had earlier threatened a Yorkshire collapse when he took three wickets in 17 balls. Opener Brendon Kuruppu scored 158 as Sri Lanka cashed in on a weakened Nottinghamshire attack at Trent Bridge.

Kuruppu and captain Ranjan Madugalle shared a fourth-wicket stand of 165. Kuruppu faced 250 balls before becoming one of four victims of wicketkeeper Chris Scott. Leicestershire's Peter Willey was out for 98 against Hampshire at Grace Road. He hit 10 fours in his stay of 4hr 22min. 1 efjljtam 1 CANOEING: Europe Cup Wlldwa- ter'(Argyle): MEN.

K1: 1. Kllllan (WG) 12:42.02. Provide (It) 12:42.08. 3. Juillerat (Swz) 12:47.30.

Canadian singles: 1. A Jelenc (Yug) 14:25.86. 2. Wells (GB) 14:38.36. 3.

A Bridge (US) 14:53.72. Canadian doubles: 1. A Simon and Elch (WG) 13:43.90. 2. Weider-mann and Stelzer (WG) 13:44.32.

3.P Dajek and Knittel (WG) 13:46.19. WOMEN. K1: 1. Wahl (WG) 13:45.52. 2.

Prolanlar (Aust) 13:52.61. 3. Zingerle (It) 13:55.88. Overall national positions: 1. West Germany 10 points.

2. Italy 40. 3. France 44. 4.

Great Britain 51. 5. Switzerland 68. 6. Yugoslavia 78.

CYCLING: National Track Cttsmpl-onihlps (Leicester): Amateur teem pursuit: 1. Manchester Wheelers 4:33.99. 2 Dlnnington RC 4:43.21. Rlde-otf for third: Team Haverhill 4:38.85 bt Zenith CC 4:45.36. ROWING: World Junior Championships (Milan): Men's 8 with coa: 1.

Italy 5:43.35. 2. USA 5:45.88. 3. Denmark 5:46.05.

4. West Germany. 5:48.06. 5. New Zealand, 5:50.07.

6. Netherlands, 5.56.87. Womsn's coxlsss 4: 1. China 6:51.47. 2.

Australia 6:54.98. 3. West Germany 6:56.67. 4. U.S.A.

6:57.89. 5. Britain 7:08.81. TREBLE CHANCE Telephone claims are required for 23 and 22 points. The dividend (ore-csst la vary good with 7 score drawa and 4 no-score draws.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL. Euro-Bowl Final, Amsterdam Crusaders Helsinki Roosters (Cryatsi Palace, 3). ATHLETICS. AAA WAAA Kodak TSB Ch'shlps (Birmingham, 12.30). CYCLING.

National women's road race ch'shlp (Malvern). GOLF. Benson Hedges International (Fulford. York). LAWN TENNI8.

National Veterans' Ch'shlps, finals (Wimbledon, 2). MOTORCYCLING British GP (Donington Pk, Derby). MOTOR RACING. Ch'shlp car races (Snetterton, Norfolk, 2); F2000 (Brands Hatch. 2).

RALLYCRO88. British Ch'shlp, 5th rd (Swindon). SWIMMING. Esso Aga Group Ch'shlps (Coventry). YACHTING.

Cowes Week. I (gillie I TODAY'S MATCHES TOUR MATCH (114.30). Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire Sri Lanka. REFUGE ASSURANCE LEAGUE (2-7 unless stated). Ebbw Vale: Glamorgan Surrey: Chollonhem: Gloucestershire Yorkshire: Bleckpool: Lancashire Middlesex; Leicester: Leicestershire Hampshire; Weston-super-Mare: Somerset Derbyshire: Edgbaston: War-wlckshire Northamptonshire; Worcester: Worcestershire Sussex.

Cricketers Cup Flnel: Shrewsbury Saracens Oundle Rovers (Vincent Square, Westminster). Hydro Village Cricket Championship: Semifinals-Goatacre Hurslsy Park; Haroma Wilis axacn ORDERS from The Oval deprived third-placed Worcestershire of their main strike bowler but did not stop them running swiftly through the Sussex batting. DilJey, having withdrawn from the Test on doctor's advice that his stressed knee might not stand up to a five-day match, was later passed fit for his county. With their NatWest semi-final coming up next week, Worcestershire were confident enough to discount any risk to him in a three-day game. The Test selectors, however, refused to give him permission to play, as is their peculiar right, which was somewhat harshly exercised in the circumstances.

The pitch was hard and fast but with the ball skidding through low. It was a type of wicket which suits Radford and he made quick inroads into some frail batting. Falk-ner soon made a mistaken attempt to drive an outswinger and that Sussex mainstay, Parker, then missed one which kept low. The leg-before decision followed the most prolonged of appeals and of umpiring reflection. Lenham, too, had his anxious moments against Radford Glamorgan Surrey Atswansas Sumy won toss SURREY: First Innings Blcknall Morris Berwick 8 Atkins Butcher Shastri 28 A Stewart Ibw Shastri 1 Lynch Derrick Ontong 22 Ward st Metson Shastri 126 I A Greta Shastri Ontong 25 Medlycott Derrick Watkln 43 A Fellham Metson Watkln Bullan not out 5 Peters not out .0 Extras (lb 8, 4, nb 4) 16 Total ..203 Fall ot wickets: 1-11.

2-25. 3-S4 Score at 100 overs: 2224 Bonus points: Olam 2 Surrey 2 Close ol play Gloucester Yorkshire At Cheltenham Gloucester won toaa YORK8HIRE: First Innings Moxon Ibw Alderman 31 A Metcalfe Ibw Pooley 15 Byas st Russell Balnbrldge 112 Love Russell Alderman 2 Robinson Curran Alderman 5 Blakey Russell Lawrence 40 Carrlck Wright Pooley 81 A Sldebottom not out 37 Hartley at Russell Qraveney 20 Shaw not out 3 Extras (b 8, lb 1 1, 1, nb 1) 21 Total (8 wkts; dec) Fall ot wickets: 1-38, 245, 3-97. 4-103, 5-183, 6-312, 7420, 8-359. Bowling: Lawrence 13-3-43-1, Curran 7-0-50-0. Pooley 19-7-56-2.

Alderman 18-5-52-3, Balnbrldge 13-2-58-1, Graveney 25.44-71-1, Alleyne 54-184. Bonus points: Yorks 4. Qlouca 3 Score et 100 overs: 3S44 GLOUCESTER: First Innings A Wright not out 13 Romalnes not out 6 Extras (nb 2) 2 Total (0 wkts; 7 overs) ZiT Close ol plsy Lancashire Middlesex At Ok) Trsltord Lancashire won toes LANCASHIRE: First Innings 0 Mend Is Tutnell 30 Fowler Downton Fraser 12 Alherton Emburey 42 Falrbrother Downlon Emburey 19 Watklnson Tutnell ....50 Hughes Needham Tutnell 0 A Hayhurst Emburey 37 Hegg Getting Fraser 21 Allott Needham Fraser Simmons Fraser 0 1 Folley not out 3 Extras (b 10. lb 3, nb3) 16 Tutsi ..235 Fall ot wickets: 1-38, 2-55. 349, 4-135.

5-152, 6-167. 7-208. 8-222. 9-222. Bowling: Fraaer 15-437-4, Cowans 4-1-16-0.

Emburey 41.1-17-704, Tutnell 38-1344-3, Needham 9-4-154. Score st 100 overs: 220-7 Bonus points: MWdx 3 Lanes 2 MIDOLESeX: First Innings Slack Allott 12 0 Carr Folley A Needham Folley 15 Downton not out ZZZZ.Z.....1 Extras (nb 1) Total (3 wkts: 17.4 overs) Zii Fall ot wickets: 1-23, 241, 3-48 Ctooaotplay ball that turned enough to squeeze between bat and pad. Watkinson, bludgeoning the spinners back over their heads, made 50 from 76 balls before playing on to Tufnell from an orthodox defensive stroke and Hayhurst and Hegg pushed the total importantly beyond the 200 mark before the last four wickets went for 27 runs. After that, Carr and Slack went for their strokes, encouraged by an excess of short-pitched bowling with the new ball before Slack was bowled by Allott's slower ball and Carr, playing across the line, fell to Fofiey's first delivery. David Ward completed his first century of the season to lead Surrey's recovery after they had lost four wickets for 77 runs to the Glamorgan attack before lunch at Swansea.

The 27-year old Croydon-born carpenter had scored only one previous century 141 against Derbyshire in his debut season three years ago. Ward, who scored 126, figured in a fifth wicket partnership of 53 with Greig (25) and a sixth wicket partnership of 92 with Medlycott (43) to help Surrey to 293 for eight. After a free-fall parachute display on the ground during the interval with four pretty girls, to mark the dropping zone, Merrick bowled Cook in his first over afterwards with a ball of full length. Reeve claimed his third scalp shortly after when Stanley was caught at point. The gap in the ranks gave Gouldstone a further chance to impress after his variable 71 against Essex.

He was badly missed once in the covers off Small before the old fox Gifford bowled him attempting to sweep, but his 50 showed anchor-role temperament and judgment for the future. Small deserved more than his solitary wicket when Rinlev went to a cond slin catch finishing outside the off-stump. Merrick added four more wickets to the six in 10 balls against Derbyshire and Walker struck some handsome blows for freedom in the tail, again by benefit of some porous hands in the deep. But 261 already looked a shaky platform as Moles and Lloyd negotiated the opening overs. be sure rider, who now seems certain to compete for Britain in the Olympics, charged round as though riding in a steeplechase to achieve the fastest time of 41.86.

He, too, erred at the planks to leave Skelton. with the knowledge that a slow, clear round on Apollo was all that was needed for victory, which they took in 55.38. Michael Whitaker and Next Amanda finished fourth, while Malcolm Pyrah on Towerlands Anglezarke and David Broome on Queensway Countryman dropped out in the first round. Silver for Britain CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH at Edgbaston than Larkins in full cry Helped by a fast outfield and fast bowler (four cracking boundaries off Merrick's third over) he blazed along to 49 off 43 balls with 10 fours before he gave a some? what anti-climactic catch to cover off Merrick in the 16th over by when the total was a bracing 79. After Larkins' departure it was as quiet as a Trappist breakfast time by contrast before Reeve disturbed the calm in the 21st over with two wickets in four balls, both leg-before to indecisive strokes, Warwickshire's appealing throughout at the least provocation being as unanimous as the vote in a Russian election.

At lunch Northamptonshire were a diminuendo 122 for three and if Geoff Cook was still seething inwardly over that follow-on fracas at Worcester he showed no signs of it in his. 37 not out, a model of patience to match his 32 in almost three hours last week at New Road. GENEVIEVE MURPHY In Dublin any horse due to compete in Seoul. Frenchman Hubert Bourdy was the first of three into the third and final round. Determined to set a tough target on Morgat, he was clear until clipping the final planks, for 43.83sec.

Joe Turi was even more forceful on Country Classic's Vital The Hungrian-born Apollo slow to THE FINALS of the world lightweight championships in Milan resulted in Great Britain taking a silver and a bronze medal, but the hoped-for gold medal escaped. The men's coxless four, winners last month at Lucerne, could not repeat that victory the Italians, with the crew that won-the title in 1986, proved too fast over the second half of the course with a time of 6min 9.48sec. Britain's second medal went to the double scullers, Gillian Bond, who won a silver in this event in 1986, and Rome-based Caroline Lucas. They can get little practice together but came good yesterday to come from fifth to third place within the last 500 metres. The women's coxless.

four, who arrived here unbeaten and were Britain's most likely bet for gold, were involved in a collision with an Australian boat on the way to the start. No one was seriously injured but the boat was damaged and the race was moved NICK SKELTON and Apollo save another marvel lous display of accurate jumping when winning the Grand Prix of Ireland, the closing contest of the Dublin Horse Show. The white-faced bay seld- ing, who won last Sunday's Hickstead Derby with the only clear round, did not hit a fence all week and was the only norse to come tnrougn tne three rounds of the Grand Prix without a mistake. He will so into Quarantine for the Olympic Games next week with the best form of.