The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 15

THE GUARDIAN Monday May 22 1989 SPORTS NEWS 15 Soccer Cricket Robson warms to Gascoigne as Chile starter Dextteir plumps for slimline Botham David Lacay Mike Selvey on the England 13 chosen for the Texaco one-day series against Australia one seamer attracting sen- ous debate when the selectors met on Saturday. discovered discipline as well as a fine individual goal when Dave Sexton played him on the right for the England team last week, has every reason to keep him in the side. However he may have to think a bit harder before deciding whether to replace Beardsley with the uncapped Nigel Clough, and, while Tony Cottee is the natural cover for Lineker, John Fa-shanu has been in better form. Robson wants to keep the nucleus of his team intact against Chile tomorrow and Scotland on Saturday in order to give England as much time together as possible before the World Cup game against Poland at Wembley a week on Saturday. "I need to keep certain players playing," he said yesterday.

One of them is the 39-year-old Peter Shilton, now three caps away from equalling Bobby Moore's record of 108 England appearances. Chris Woods is due a game in goal but as Robson said: "Shilton is in excellent form and at his age needs to keep in touch with the game." The one fitness doubt is Neil PAUL GASCOIGNE is expected to be included in the England starting lineup for the first time when Bobby Robson announces the team for tomorrow's Rous Cup game against Chile at lunch-time today. The presence of the perky, precocious Tottenham player would partly offset the effect on the Wembley gate of a projected 24-hour underground strike. So far Gascoigne has won three caps as a substitute and gave his best performance in full England colours so far when he replaced David Rocas-tle for the final 24 minutes of the World Cup qualifier against Albania last month, making one goal and scoring another. Rocastle is missing from England's Rous Cup squad, along with the other Arsenal and Liverpool players still involved in League matches.

Gary Lineker is also unavailable because Barcelona have three league fixtures this week. But in spite of those absences Robson can still field all but three of those who defeated the Albanians 5-0. The England manager, impressed by Gascoigne's newly said of the all-rounder: "He has proved his big-match temperament time and time again, no more so than for Worcestershire in the recent low-scoring match against Australia, where he batted and bowled well actually just 10 overs in the match for one wicket, but no matter. The only thing he had to do this year was prove his fitness, and he has done that to our satisfaction." If he had not, his record suggests he would have been no great loss in one-day cricket. He has played 95 of these games for England, averages just 22 with the bat and has taken 116 wickets at 29.

Neither statistic is in any way remarkable; nor have England suffered in any way during his absence, winning 13 of the 19 limited-overs matches played (including all three against West Indies last summer) and reaching the World Cup final. In that game, of course, they lost to Australia. "Nothing," said Dexter, "inspires him more than playing against Australia." Totemistic is not far off the mark. The other names in the squad were predictable, with only an opening spot, the wicketkeeper DT IS getting on for two years since Ian Botham tucked his bat under his arm and marched off at The Oval, having spent an uncharacteristic 4'A hours over 52 runs to ensure a draw for Ens- land in the final Test of the summer against Pakistan. He has not pulled on an England sweater since then.

An eventful winter with Queensland followed, and then early last summer came the back injury (and the subsequent operation) that put him on the sidelines until barely six weeks ago. Now he is back, named in Ted Dexter's squad of 13 to contest the Texaco series of three one-day internationals, the first of which is at Old Traf-ford on Thursday, followed by Trent Bridge on Saturday and Lord's the following Monday. Botham's return is something of a gamble, in spite of reassurances from Dexter that they are fully satisfied with his fitness. In all cricket this season he has a top score of 42 and a haul of 25 wickets 10 in limited-over matches at wobbly medium-pace only. It should be added that he has taken some quite superb catches at slip.

The questions to be asked are whether Botham will actually play rather than be used in a totemistic role, to put the wind up the Aussies and whether, given that he is not really such a force in the one-day game, he should have been given more time to find his form by playing with Worcestershire. With the Headingley Test less than three weeks off, there certainly seems little point in interrupting his rehabilitation on the county circuit if he is not to take the field on Thursday. uexter, indeed, appeared to declare his intentions when he Swindon Town 1 Crystal Palace 0 Hopkins's hash ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL AVERAQES ComplUd by Bin FrlrxUII tJ4.0U BATTINQ I NO Runs 64 1E93 289 461 145 1991 2615 2905 5 2724 2B4 (ijBsrneiT i i ITBoltiam 95 86 PAJDeFreilas 38 26 Emburay 55 42 0 10 A Foster MWGarting 45 24 11 82 79 17 67 68 3 I Gower 102 99 8 153 PWJarvis A Lamb DRPringte 5 2 1 5' 80 78 14 118 20 16 6 49- 22.57 1806 14.40 11.15 32.11 41.50 31.92 5.00 4256 28 40 9.00 i 'denotes not out. I Catches: Botham 30. DeFreitas 9, Emburey 18.

I Lamb 21. Pringle 7. .1 RhnriAa hac nousr ntnuH a Hitting back Ian Botham gives his Worcestershire colleagues catching practice before yesterday's match against Surrey at New Road. Botham later made 31 but Worcestershire PHOTOGRAPH: LINDSAY WILSON Middlesex The Australians Rftfugo Assurance League SOMERSET LANCASHIRE rejects customs David Foot THE danger with Swindon is that they can so easily play you off the square. They get fired up for these special games at an army camp and then summon up all the disconcerting esprit de corps of a crew-cropped platoon determined to see each other through the passing-out parade.

They do not pretend to have too much polish. The manager, Lou Macari, has made them fitness fanatics rather than ball artists, but yesterday they still made three times as many chances as Palace and had a markedly better protective wall at the centre of the defence. The match's only goal was sliced into his own net by Hopkins after 53 minutes. The Palace skipper did not have the happiest of afternoons, but should not shoulder too much blame for his despairing lunge at a menacing cross from Hock-aday, which came after one of those bustling five-man bursts by Swindon. Foley pushed out the final pass and left the rest to the full-back, confident that he had not forgotten his days as a Blackpool winger.

Palace, who have produced some handsome football this season, played only intermittently yesterday in a match that XUI1I DOIIICU UL U1C 1LUU UVCI Broad as Gooch's partner because of his versatility and his record in domestic limited-overs competitions, but the implication is that Broad will figure in the Tests. Rhodes, the squad's only uncapped player, was preferred to Russell because of consistent glove-work and some brave, inventive innings. In taking the seamer's position, Jarvis shaded it over Small, Fraser and Cowans. There is little, in fact, to argue about. The one-day squad has, so we are told, been chosen for the job in hand.

Test-match horses should similarly be chosen for courses, particularly the one in Leeds. What, then, if Barnett gets a hundred, Rhodes holds half-a-dozen catches, and Botham gets no runs and some hammer? That will be the true test of the new system. Dean Jones, the Australian batsman, could play in the tourists' one-day match against Yorkshire at Headingley tomorrow, after making a rapid recovery from his depressed fracture of the cheekbone. Jones will have a trial net against the Australian fast bowlers today at Lord's. Meanwhile the off-spinner Tim May was hit in the mouth in practice yesterday and needed stitches.

BOWLING Avg 100 50 Balls Runs Wkts Ava Bst Rov 7 5076 3398 116 29 29 4-56 2138 1280 47 27 23 4-35 3083 2087 2435 1706 1 9 386 334 6 15 1243 956 7 10 5 14 287 187 3 16 6 3 1130 852 30.24 4-37 40 4.2 5.1 4.8 168 3.9 30 4.5 52 32.80 3-20 10 33 40 3-32 23 42.00 2-12 0 6 31.16 4-33 0 20 42 60 3-21 imarnatlnnal Foster 12. Gatting 22. Gooch 24. Gower 39. balls and he pushed a two through extra cover to reach his hundred.

Marsh shared partnerships of 67 with Mark Taylor, who made 35 before pulling Neil Williams's' first ball tamely to square leg, 44 with Boon, who kicked a pad-bat chance to cover, and an unbroken 122 with Tom Moody, who showed some thunderous driving in his 60. But he was upstaged in the evening by Gatting. With Terry Alderman and Geoff Lawson moving nicely into gear, Middlesex had lost John Carr and Desmond Haynes for 26, the latter to a marvellous reflex catch by Boon at short leg. Gatting though is in mighty form at present unbelievably, his innings yesterday takes him within 65 of a thousand in all cricket this year and he does not miss out on anything at all loose. He pulled Alderman flat into the stand for six and greeted Border's first over with three contemptuous boundaries.

Thus far he has faced only 81 balls, dominating in the process a fourth-wicket stand of 81 with Ramprakash. shire lost by 77 runs at Hove. Richard Blakey hit a Sunday-best 94 not out to steer Yorkshire to a five-wicket win over Warwickshire with six balls to spare at Headingley. Arnie Sidebottom also notched up a century of sorts; after Kallichar-ran, who made 104 out of 191 for seven, had hit him for two consecutive fours, the fast bowler "uttered an audible obscenity" and was fined 100 by the club. OEaaEm CRCKETLINE a-lOQ us Border MikaSalvey at Lord's SOMEONE should tell Allan Border just how tourist matches are played in this country.

First make a vow, on arrival at Heathrow, to play every match to win. Then forget it. Instead proceed to belt the second XI bowling most counties put up against you in pursuit of indiscriminate batting practice. Proper games are just not on. It came as something of a shock at Lord's yesterday not only to see Border declare the Australian innings closed three-quarters of an hour before tea, and only three wickets down at that, but, at 233, still a dozen runs adrift of Middlesex.

Game on, as they say. On a belting day, and a pitch close to matching it, Middlesex also entered into the spirit, and with Mike Gatting hitting a typically chunky unbeaten 78 they ended the day on 157 for three, a lead of 169. It was all something of a disappointment for traditionalists. The new attitude might have Blackburn Rovers 0, Watford 0 Rovers repose Webb, who is nursing a swollen ankle from last Thursday's match between Nottingham Forest and West Ham. was something of a let-down with too much running and too lime vision.

Their regular use of the offside trap irritated the Wiltshire crowd; play-off football generates artificial tactics and a natural wariness among visiting sides. Steve Coppell was eloquently taciturn afterwards, though a one-goal deficit need not prove too much of an inhibition at Wednesday's second leg. Shearer could have scored twice in the first half, and Palace repeatedly looked fragile as they attempted to deal with Swindon's bouncy breaks. Foley once squeezed between two defenders, surged forward and slipped the most tailored of passes to snearer, wno snot hard and, alas, far too high. For Palace, McGoldrick occasionally bounded down the right touchline and Wright characteristically sped after the ball as if training for an Olympic, sprint.

But he and Bright were shadowed and mostly cancelled out, just as Macari had briefed. "I think we're now the favourites," said the Swindon manager, "but we shan't be defending on Wednesday." Swindon Towni Oigby; Hockaday, King. Jones. Parkin. Calderwood.

Foley, Shearer. McLoughlin. Maclaren, White. Crystal Palacei Suckling; Pemberton, Burke. Madden, Hopkins.

Hedman. McGoldrick, ParrJew. Bright. Wright. Barber (Pennytather.

79min). RoferMi Holbrook (Watsail). and energy. Nothing unduly nasty, although there was nothing very pretty either. The game's highlight came in the 72nd minute when Sellars set off on a long, sinuous run which sped him into the penalty area where he shot wide of the advancing Coton, but also wide of the post.

Watford created hardly anything during the second half, being content to thwart Black-bum, not that this task was particularly difficult. Redfearn, interchanging passes with Roberts, forced Gennoe into a sharp save four minutes before half-time, but there was little else memorable about Watford's forward play. No doubt it will be a different matter on Wednesday. Steve Harrison's team ought to remember enough about the First Division to get back there. Blackburn have the nicer shirts; shame about the football.

Btedrixim Rovers. Gennoe; Atkins. Sutfey. Raid. Hendry.

Mail. Gayle. Millar. Milter, Garner. Sellars.

Watford! Colon. Gibbs. Jackett (Oave Holds-worth. 79min), Falconer. Miller.

McLelland. Thomas. Wilkinson. Roberts (Dean Holds-worth, 84. Porter, Redfearn.

ii Hackett (Sheffield). ers, to lift the Welsh Cup for the first time in six years. Terry Dolan, dismissed as manager of Bradford City in January, is an early favourite to take over from Eddie Gray at Hull. Gray was dismissed on Saturday. Hull finished 21st in the Second Division, one place above relegation.

Two second-half goals from Jean-Pierre Papin gave Marseille their fifth French League title and their first in 17 years. Marseille beat Auxerre 2-1 as Paris St Germain fell out of contention with a goalless draw against the bottom club, Lens. Monaco, last year's champions, moved into third place above Sochaux by winning 3-0 in Metz. Glenn Hoddle gave them the lead with his 16th coal of the season. Clive Allen Scored for BnrrlAaiiv who kMt 3-3 to Caen.

Smith celebrates with 148 lost by live wickets Scoreboard Tour Match Lontw Middlesex, with three second-in nines wickets down, lead by 169 runs. Today: 11.0. MRWLESKX AUSTRALIANS MtOOLSMJt First innings 245 (M Gat-trng 65; Rackemann 4-85). AUSTMUfANS Hrat Innings (overnight 37-0) Marsh not 100 a Tayur Hamprakash Williams. Boon Ramprakash Hughes 20 Moody not 60 Extras lt11.

04, wZ. nbl IB Total (for 2 dec) IN of wfekata oonti 67. Ill DM not b-b 'A Border, Veletta. 1 1 A Healy. Hohns.

Lawson. Alderman, Rackemann. Bowllngi Cowans 14-3-40-0; Fraser i 4-c-aj, Hugnes ii--4i-i; tmourey 20-7-49-0; Williams 12-1-35-1; Gatting 4-0-1 1-0. MIDDLESEX Carr Lawson 0 Haynes Boon Alderman- catling not out Butcher ibw Alderman-M Ramprakash not Extras (Ib5. nb4) Total (for 3) 187 Fait of trickata: 26.

26. 76. To bati tP Downton, Emburay, Williams, Hughes, ARC Fraser. Cowans. Britannic Assurance County Championship TODAY: 11.0 KENT DERBYSHIRE Dattfonb Kent (Spts) need 20 runs to avoid an innings defeat by Derbyshire (8).

DERBYSHIRE. First innings 416 (B Roberts 102, Goldsmith 68, Morris 55: A Igglesden 4-90). Rrrf Innings Hinks ret hurt Benson Ibw Mafcoim. Ft Taylor Malcolm- Ward Newman Holding Cowdrey Goldsmith Holding Wells Warner tS A Marsh Ibw Holding. Kelieher Barnett Holding-C Penn Maher Malcolm Davis not out- A Igglesden Sharma Malcolm Extras (b1.

w2, nb8) Total (56 2 overs) -10 raH of wfekits cento 13. 63. 67, 79, 160, 172, 172. 204, 210, 210. Bowllngi Malcolm 16 2-2-69-4; Holding tfi-3-71-4: Warner 11-2-27-1; Newman 10-0-35-0; Barnett 1-0-5-0.

KENT Ward Bowler Sharma Benson Roberts Warner- Taylor Maher Newman Cowdrey Ibw Newman wens Newman. tS A Marsh st Maher Sharma Kelieher not out Penn not out Extras (b3, Ib11, nM) rati of vricfcate: 53. 63, 63. 87. 123.

131 To bah Hinks, Davis. A fgglesden. NOTTtMOHAMSHIRE HAMPSHIRE Irani Brirfgw Nottinghamshire (5pts), with two aecond-inmngs wickets down, lead Hampshire (6) by 76 runs. NOTTIIMHAMW. IB -First innings 331-6 dec (B Broad 64).

Bowllngi Jelferies 21-4-65-0: Bakker tfl-3-61-1; Tremlett 17-2-39-2: James 9-1-40-0; Maru 31-10-76-0; Nicholas 15-2-37-3. HAMPSHIRE First innings Terry French Stephenaon IS l. omnn aiepnenson James Broad A Smith run out 148 Turner Atford Stephenson 24 Nicholas Randall Hammings- Tremlett not out-S Jaffenes not oul Extras (Ibll, nb3) Total (for 6 dec. 69.2 overs) 3O0 ram or WKtKSts: IB. it.

61, 137, 280, 295. Did not batt tR Parks. Maru. Bakker. Bowllngi Stephenson 21-2-84-4; Pick 16-2-62-0; Cooper 16-3-56-0; Hemmings 21.2-1-59-1; Atford 15-6-28-0.

NOTTtHQHAMSHIRE Broad Nicholas MaaII lhu Diilrbu Johnson not out 4 2 A pick not out Extras (Ibl, wl) Total (for 2). 45 PaE of wtcfceta: 4.41 To bati 'fl Robinson, Randall, Stephenson, fB French, Hammings. Cooper, A Afford. TODAY'S OTHER FIXTUHKfc-Mstoti Ewax Qtouca. Bilgf iiaiai Sumy War wfcaoMn.

Banaawaat Ommm Um. snta. Taaaaacv Somen Uncart. League table YORKSHIRE WARWICKSHIRE Hoadlngtoyi Yorkshire won by five wickets. WARWICKSHIRE 'T A Lloyd run rit 0 Twose Sidebottom Jarvis 1 A I Kalllcharran Jarvis Sidebottom 104 A Smith and Carrick 20 0 A Thome Robinson Byas a A Reeve Ibw Hartley IB Smith Jarvls 8 T.

Small nni nut TK Piper not out- Extras (Ib7. w1. nb2) Totat (for 7. 40 overs)- 101 of wickets: 3. 25, 99, 121, 164.

178, 178. baa Donald, a Munton. Jarvis 8-1-43-2: Pickles 7-0-22-0: Sidebottom 6-0-38-1: Carrick 8-2-28-1: nartiey e-u-33-1; Byas 3-0-20-1. YORKSHIRE Blakey not 04 A A Metcalfe Munlon Sharp A Smith 10 oyas idw smaii- Robinson Small Twosa tD Bairstow run Hartley not out Extras (bl. Ib17.

wl. nbl) 24 21 8 SO -IB- Total (for 5, 39 overs) WaM of wlekota: 0. 44. 77. 113.

172. DM not bati 'P Carrick, A Sidebottom. Jarvis, Pickles. Bowllngi Donald 8-1-26-0: Munton 7-0-32-1; Smilh 4-0-21-1: Small 8-1-24-1; Smith 8-0-46-0; Twose 4-0-25-1. Leadbeater and Hassan.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE ESSEX sta Essex won bv nine wickets. GLOUCESTERSHIRE A Wright Stephenson Lever 2 tR Russell Hardte Foster. 2 cwj Atney Topiey. Bainbridge Ibw Gooch-K Curran Pringle Romaines Gooch- Alleyne Waugh Pringle-'V Greene not out Ibadulla not out- Extras (b5. IblO, w9, nb1) Total (for 7.

40 ovors)- 187 PaB of wtekata: 4. 10. 45. 68. 86.

148. Did not bati Pooley, Jarvis. BowHngi Lever 7-3-21-1; Foster 6-3-28-1; Pringle 8-0-34-2: Gooch 8-0-33-2; Topiey 2-0-14-1; Stephenson 7-0-22-0. ESSEX A Gooch 78 naraie noi out Waugh not out Extras (IblO. w2.

nbl)- Total (for 1. 39.1 overs) 188 van or wte-aia: i4o. DM not batt Pri chard, A Lilley. Stephenson. Pringle, Lever, A Garnham.

A Foster. Topiey. Bowttngi Jarvis 8-0-26-0; Greene 8-0-31-0: Curran 8-0-33-0; Pooley 8-0-32-1; ibadulla 4-1-14-0; Bainbridge 3.1-0-22-0. Umpkroat Shepherd and A White. OLAMOROAN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Cardiff! Northamptonshire won by six wickets.

GLAMORGAN A Butcher Cook 10 Morns Ripley Thomas 3 Maynard Cape! 42 A Cottey Cook 18 Shastn Ripley Robinson 1 Ontong sub Thomas 33 Derrick Larkins Thomas IS tC Metson not out 21 Watkin not out 1 Extras (b2. Ib3. w6. nb3) 14 Total (for 7, 40 overs) 162 of wlekata: 14. 29.

61. 64. 86. 112. 154.

DM not bati Dennis, Barwlck. Bowllngi Cook 8-0-35-2: Robinson 8-0-28-1; Ambrose 8-0-34-0: Thomas 8-1-41-3; Capel 8-0-19-1. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Cook Ontong Watkin- Larkins Dennis Watkin. Bailey Ontong Dennis-. Capel Walkin Ontong Wild not out A Felton not out Extras (lb3.

w4) Total (for 4, 38.1 overs)- 183 Fall af wktkata: 20. 25. 70. 134. DM not bati tD Ripley.

Thomas. Ambrose, A Robinson. Cook. Bowllngi Shastri 7-1-24-0; Barwlck 8-0-19-0: Watkin 7.1-1-33-2; Dennis 7-1-32-1; Oerrick 5-0-25-0; Ontong 4-0-28-1. TODAY'S PIXTURCB Nr Pta Baaax (10) 5 5 0 0 0 20 Uncap) 5 4 0 0 1 IB MMdx (4) 4 3 1 0 0 12 Surrty(S) 3 2 0 0 12 Kanta14) 3 2 0 0 1 IO Hants (9) 4 2 2 0 0 fl Km (7) 4 2 2 0 0 Yorfcsl) 4 2 2 0 0 8 DarbreOt) 4 12 0 1 (14) 3 1110 a Ufc(14) 4 12 0 1 a Uouc(3) 4 1 3 0 0 Qtam(B) 3 0 2 0 1 2 Warts (1 0) 3 0 2 0 1 2 Som(12) 3 0 2 1 0 2 Notts (17) 3 0 2 0 1 2 Worcsdt 3 0 2 0 1 2 Lancashire won by 4 wkta.

Cook Alton Roebuck. Wasim Akram- 129 22 Bartlett Wasim Akram- Tavara Hegg DeFreitas Harden Jesty Watkinson, Marks Hughes Simmona fH Burns not Rosa run A Mallendar not Extras (Ib9. wlO. nb2) B1 Total (for 7, 39 overs) 244 Fall of wlokats: 58, 157, 186. 211.

218. 223. 241. DM not bata A Jones. Foster.

Bowllngi Allot! 8-0-31-1; DeFreitas B-u-oo-i; wasim Axram Simmons 8-0-50-1: Watkinson 6-0-44-1; Jesty -M-drM. LANCASHIRE Fowler run out- 74 17 A Hay hurst Rose A DeFreitas Roebuck Rose Fairbrother run 30 Jesty st Burns Marks 7 Watkinson Ibw Mai lender 07 Wasim Akram not 84 0 Hugnes not out. Extras (b2, Ib10. w2. nb3) 17 Total (for 6, 38 2 overs)- 24B PaB of wickets: 56.

56. 116. 134. 169. 222.

Did not bati tW Hegg. Allott. Simmons. Bowllngi Jones 7.2-0-57-0: Mallendar 8-0-28-1; Rose 8-1-43-2; Foster 7-0-58-0; Marks 8-0-47-1. Umpareat Constant and Kitchen.

SUSSEX LEICESTERSHIRE Hovat Sussex won by 77 runs. SUSSEX Lenham Ibw 1 20 Smith Agnew Parsons 43 A Wells Gower Lewis SB Welts Whftticase Agnew 10 'PWG Parker not out 24 I Gould not 12 Extras (b6. Ibll. w5, nb2) 24 .200 Total (for 4. 40 overs) Pal of wfefca: 57.

117. 150. 177. Did not bati A I Dodemaide. ACS Pigott, 'P Moores, A Clarke, A Babington.

Bowllngi Agnew 6-0-41-1; Benjamin 8-1-30-0; Willey 8-1-24-0; Lewis 8-1-45-2; Taylor 4-0-24-0; Parsons 4-0-27-1. LEICESTERSHIRE Potter Wells 16 Briers Clarke- 'D I Gower Babington- Lewis cAP Wells Clarke. TP Whltticase Babington WKM Benjamin run out arsons pjgon a Agnew Moores Dodemaide 14 Taylor not out a Extras b1 tbS wl a Total 38.1 overs- 131 of wlekota: 38, 55. 59. 87.

88. 95. 105. 107. 119, 131.

Bowllngi Pigott 8-0-33-1: Dodemaide 7.1-1-20-1; Wells 6-2-19-2; Babington 8-1-26-3; Clarke 7-0-26-2. Umptraai Dudieston and Eele. WORCESTERSHIRE SURREY Wore tan Surrey won by 5 runs. SURREY Clinton Newport Pridgeon 70 A Feffnam Neale Weston 24 2 A Sadiq Rhodes Botham 7 A Stewart Curtis Newport 89 tO Ward Weston Botham 30 A Qreig not out. Medlycott not out Extras (Ibll.

w3. nb3) Total (for 5, 40 rninrn) PaB of wlekota: S3. 65. 157. 202.

217. 17 221 DM not bati Thorpe. Sullen. BiCknell. A Murphy.

Bowllngi Newport 8-0-38-1: Weston 8-1-37-1; Botham 7-0-33-2; Pridgeon 7-0-46-1; Radford 8-0-41-0; O'Shaughnessy 2-0-15-0. WORCESTORSHIRE Curtis Ward bGrelg- 1 1 coin nm run oui A Hick Greig Bullen D'Oliveira not out O'Shaughnessy BJcknall-tS Rhodes A Neale Murphy- Weston Thorpe Feitham Radford Feltham Newport not Extras (b4. IblO, nbl) Total (for 8. 40 ovarst 213 PaB of wiofcets: 68, 70, 102, 126, 137. 163, 1BU, 101.

DW not bsfe A Pridgeon. Bowllngi Blckrtall 8-0-43-1; Murphy 8-O-4 1-1; Feltham 8-0-45-2; Graig 8-0-40-1: Sullen 8-0-33-2. Minor Court tiea Knock-out OuaOrytng rounds BaaonafMdt Buckinghamshire 153-7 (S Burrow 70no). Hertfordshire 154-6 (M Wright 5Bno). Hertfordshire won by 4 wkts.

PramBnghami Suffolk 175 (D Hoffman 4-41). Cambridgeshire 181-3 (J Benson 103no). Cambridgeshire won by 7 wkts. Orfordi Berkshire 157. Oxfordshire 160-6 (T Lester 70).

Oxfordshire won by 5 wkts. waTsglaai Norfolk 239-8. BSKtfontehhe 4 WtdJB. SUptim Btortoy THIS was a play-off in which the play was decidedly off. Watford, of course, will be pleased enough.

In soccer-speak they did the job, but there was precious little to get excited about at Ewood Park. It was hot, hectic and mostly horrible. Blackburn failed at this stage last year and on the evidence of yesterday there seems little reason for supposing they will not fail again. Watford were angular, inelegant and largely untroubled. Gayle hit the angle and missed a simple header from a cross by Sellars, but Rovers never mounted any sustained pressure worthy of the name.

They began promisingly enough, with Garner finding width on the left to provide Ian Miller with a knee-high volley a couple of yards from goal. The end result was a throw-in, which just about summed up the afternoon. Hard pitches exposed lack of technique most unmercifully. Thereafter it was all elbows something to do with the substantial prize money on offer from the Australian tour sponsors. Sussex and Worcestershire have already copped a share, and Somerset belligerently deprived the tourists of another.

Just as likely, though, it is not the money so much as a bit of pride. This is the last first-class match before the one-day internationals begin this week and, while practice is important, there is nothing that raises morale like victory. The Australian innings was founded on another century from Geoff Marsh, his third on this tour and the second in successive knocks on this ground. It was a professional, well thought-out innings, the sort of effort that openers like to have the time to play. It took him 71 balls before the scoreboard clicked into double figures, and another 78 to his half-century, helped by the short Tavern boundary over which he twice hit John Emburey, and some shoddy fielding; Emburey, firstly at second slip and then at gully, put chances down.

A further 71 made it five out of five in the league, winning by nine wickets after the openers Gooch (76) and Hardie (73 not out) put on 146. Worcestershire tumbled to another defeat at New Road. Damian D'Oliveira took two sixes off Martin Bicknell in the last over, but Surrey, defending a total of 221 for five, held on to win by five runs. Bicknell had run out Botham for 31 after an opening stand of 68 with Curtis, and Hick lasted only two balls. At Taunton, Mike Watkinson hit four sixes and three fours in 57 off 38 balls to give Lancashire an unexpected four-wicket win over Somerset.

The home side piled up 244 for seven from 39 overs, with their inform opener Jimmy Cook hitting 123. The South African has now been awarded his county cap, along with Tavare. Greg Thomas punished his former county at Cardiff, taking three wickets as Northamptonshire beat Glamorgan by six wickets. The fast bowler's victims included his former captain, Morris. The Sussex fast bowler Andy Babington included Gower's scalp in his Sunday-best return of three for 26 as Leicester- signing for Natal said he envisaged signing a contract for at least two or three seasons and would also seek a non-sporting job if he came to South Africa.

The 10-year ban became part of Australian Cricket Board policy in 1985 and was recently enforced against the South Australian batsman Michael Haywna Penrice ends goal famine ROBIN SMITH, Hampshire's South African-born opener, celebrated his England recall with an impressive 148 before his skipper, Nicholas, declared 31 runs behind Nottinghamshire in the county championship game at Trent Bridge. The declaration was shrewd: by the close both the home side's openers, Newell and Broad, had gone with only 45 runs on the board in the second innings. At Dartford, in the day's other county match, the bloody trend of the season continued when the Kent opener Simon Hinks needed 11 stitches eight inside the mouth, three between upper lip and nose after failing to connect with a hook shot off the Derbyshire fast bowler Malcolm. The home side now face an innings defeat. Replying to 416, they were bowled out for 210, Malcolm (four for 69) and Holding (four for 71) doing the damage.

Then, following on 206 behind, they faded to 186 for six. In the Refuge League matches, the Gloucestershire captain Bill Athey broke a thumb at Bristol after being struck by Foster of Essex. Athey could be out of action for several weeks. The visitors Hughes close to ISm HUGHES, the former Australia captain, has arrived in South Africa for talks with Natal but may face a 10-year ban by Australia if he signs for the side. Hughes, 36, was banned for three years from Australian first-class cricket for leading rebel tonrs in 1835 and 1937.

Speaking in Durban, he 151 Glamorgan 154 gloucestershire 167 HAMPSHIRE 10 KENT 171 LANCASHIRE .172 LEICESTERSHIRE 173 MIDDLESEX 174 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE J2S NOniNGHAMSHIRE J76 S0MEB5ET 177 SURREY 178 SUSSEX ,179 BRISTOL ROVERS' first goal in five matches gives them a slender advantage to take to Craven Cottage on Thursday for the second lee of their Third Division promotion play-off witn rainam. uary penrice, with his 23rd goal of the season, scored in the 72nd minute. At the end of a dour match of few chances, police horses were called upon to contain a pitch invasion by Rovers' fans. Two goals in a minute by 01-lie Kearns took Wrexham to a 3-1 win over Scunthorpe in the first leg of their Fourth Division play-off. All the goals came in the first half-hour.

Mark Cooper headed both Leyton Orient's goals in their 2-0 home-leg win over Scarborough. Swansea enjoyed their biggest win of the season. 5-0 against Riddenninster Hani- WB.WCXSH.BE 124 WORCESTERSHIRE YORKSHIRE OXFDUmv.MlNORCOUN CAMB UNItf-SCOTlAND 1Q1 rVf ICTCM A The official TCCB -J LEEDS LSI ALB CMicniratFrMicrcJpiai-3pjtmn NoBVfttDOSf'C Ytf NoUlnqfmrnthlre Yorkshire..