The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 14

14 SPORTS MEWS Cricket THE GUARDIAN Saturday August 6 1988 Fifth Cornhill Test: England West Indies, second day FSeiri7 Fostteir IhwsMs tiCne djawmrDnougj off a Dnear-peirff ectt HDUcgOiisLh) summer's (toy Richards exorcises the Lloyd ghost three for two in onlv eieht balls. IflffQQQIlt Mike Selvey at The Oval Michael Henderson For a while though, with Fos land against West Indies is so rare you have to go back to Lord's in 1984 for the last time, and there was a lesson to be flT would be hard to de- RICKET a team game? learned from that on mat oc Teams nlay. and one scribe any day at The Oval as being perfect, but for team is to be willed to England, until the last nait- casion England contrived to lose by nine wickets. Sure enough, after Gooch and Curtis had given England's ter, wno even now is not tuiiy fit, tiring in the sticky heat, Hooper and Logie threatened to ruin things. Once, Hooper slid onto the back foot to drill an astonishing six over the long extra-cover boundary.

But Gooch decided to persevere with Foster and it paid off, for after five balls of an over hour yesterday, it came as close as any. After they suffered the disap second innings sucn an aarena-lin-chareed half-century start, pointment on the first day of including 34 from the first six collapsing to wa tor nine, it had brought Logie three fours, a two and a single. HooDer took Malcolm Marsnaii only three deliveries in the morning to wrao thines un with his 34th edged the sixth delivery to first sup. The best battine of the in and record-breaking wicket of the series, for the addition of nings was to come once again when Logie and Dujon were together. Dujon is apparently incapable of playing an inele gant stroke, and the boundaries provement.

Whereas he was once the leading player, strutting many a gilded hour upon a stage, his current role is roughly that of an actor-manager, right down to the job of clearing the stage for other performers. Talent, even the jumbo variety possessed by Ambrose and Hooper, does not exist in a vacuum. Under the new Richards no longer just a great batsman but a successful captain as well those talents have been released. One wonders just how profoundly the Somerset experience, and last year's rehabilitation at Rish-ton, affected his handling of others. Certainly he appears more content.

Not at noon yesterday, however, when he bat and padded Foster to short leg. In 1966, the year England hit back at The Oval after a similarly dismal summer, Sobers too was caught at short leg for a duck. He went first ball, in fact, although his last appearance here as a Test batsman, at Lord's seven years later, brought a century. In retrospect, it can be seen clearly that the crucial single moment of this summer arrived during the second afternoon of the second Test at Lord's when Gooch and Gower were bowling along nicely. When Gower mishooked to deep square leg, and England which twice he eased with per victory.

But it is the individual who remains in the memory, he who has purged the emotions by delight and fear." The words, belonging to VS Naipaul, were occasioned by the 1963 Lord's Test between Dexter's England and West Indies. They apply with equal resonance to the modern heirs of that Worrell-led side. As West Indies complete their 16th tour of England, the leave-taking is more permanent in one or two cases. Delight and fear, in that order. After this match, Viv Richards may conceivably never play another Test innings on an English ground.

We have Malcolm Marshall's word that his retirement from international cricket will follow next year's home series against India. He is entitled to change his mind but 1991 seems a long way off. There are others. Greenidge and Haynes, who go together like Auden and Isherwood or Pinky and Perky, cannot possibly be back in harness three years from now. Dujon the may not be around fectly straight bat through the covers off the back foot were sublime.

two runs. The packed crowd, pinking in the first real sun of the summer, had every right to expect a West Indian run festival. Instead they were bowled out for 183, with Neil Foster brilliantly ripping out the first five batsmen, and then, after the statutory Logie-Dujon rescue act threatened yet again to wipe away English grins, Derek Pringle and John Childs cleaned up four of the others. As the other wicket was a bizarre run-out in which both Foster and Prinele were instru Another cover drive off Capel gave him his sixth four and saw him to 50 before England immediately regained control, Foster and Gooch combining once more to get rid of Logie. Tea, however, at 155 for five, precipitated a collapse of the proportions on which England hold the copyright, as the last five wickets fell in 10 overs for overs, that aetensive tieias were de rigueur and Marshall was reduced to firing the ball negatively wide of off stump, back came West Indies once more.

Marshall had Curtis leg before on the back foot, and it so visibly lifted West Indies that Benjamin, in a single over, bounded in to bowl Bailey and then see Smith incredibly fail to offer a shot to a straight one which had him leg before. All this was watched, phleg-matically as ever, by Gooch at the other end, reflecting perhaps on the ease with which you can fall off a mountain you have so painstakingly climbed. At 64 for three, a lead of 86, and Gooch still there on 38, the safety rope is just about holding. The performance in the morning was heartwarming though. If Surrey can raise the money to save The Oval, and providing no one tops that with a counter-bid to flatten it, one day it may be known as Fosters Oval.

After nine overs of the West Indian innings they could have renamed it there and then, for the scoreboard read 16 for three, and back in the dressing room were Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and King Viv. Foster is consistently England's best strike bowler, capable, with an uncanny knack of mental and Gooch held a pair of slip catches, it was a nitty Essex effort all round. A first-innings lead for Eng- 28. The rout began immediately when Pringle had Dujon leg before half-forward for his first wicket. Marshall soon followed.

EHGLAHD First Innings (overnight: 203-9) A Foster sub Marshall Childs not out Extras lb6, nb15) 7 21 but the seal was set with a run out of stunning futility. Total SOS Harper, who had again Bowling: Marshall 24.3-3-64-3; Ambrose looked capable of a rescue act if I partners could stay with him, drove Pringle edgily to third man and ran what he rightly lelt was an easy two. either, so this is the last time this island will see, all together, the players who have done the most to mould the side that has conquered all during the past decade. Richards, who will probably return to county cricket next summer, can reflect on a year as important as any in his career. First, a notable fight to square the rubber against Pakistan; then a victorious series in England.

Clive Lloyd, the manager for this winter's trip to Australia, no longer resembles Banquo's Ghost Richards has his own men at last, and there is scope for im- Ambrose, however, without informing his partner, settled failed to overtake West Indies' first innings score, Richards was able to apply the pressure that abated only yesterday. Obviously, the man who has done more than anyone to maintain the imbalance is Marshall, with 35 wickets and seven more up for grabs today. West Indies again have been a successful team although Marshall's relentless excellence underlines Nai-paul's point. England's batsmen, though, have not found the experience delightful. 20-6-31-3: Walsh 10-1-21-0: Benjamin 14-2-33-1; Harper 21-7-50-3: Hooper 1-1-04).

WEST INDIES First innings Greenidge OeFreitas Foster 10 Haynes Richards Foster 2 Hooper Gooch Foster 11 'I A Richards Curtis Foster A Logie Gooch Foster 47 tp Dujon Ibw Pringle 84 Ft A Harper run out 17 Marshall and Childs Ambrose not out 17 WKM Benjamin Pringle A Walsh OeFreitas Pringle 5 Extras (b7. w1. nb2) 10 tor one. Harper, sprinting down the second lap, was mortified to find him in the batsman's crease impassively leaning finding bounce and movement from the most benign surfaces, of producing devastating bursts of wickets and he did just that. back on his oat.

Meanwhile Foster inaccu rate throw had eluded Rich Havnes edged to Jack Rich Total- 183 ards, travelling instead straight Fall of wickets: 9. 16. 16, 57, 126. 155, 156. through to Capel at mid-on, who with Harper attempting to ards who juggled untidily but clung on, Greenidge pulled a short ball from low on the bat to DeFreitas at mid-on, and then, to unconfined joy, Rich Gatting will not appeal 167.

168. Bowling: Foster 16-2-64-5: DeFreitas 13-4-33-0: Pringle 16-4-45-3; Capel 7-0-21-0: Childs 6-1-13-1. ENGLAND Second innings regain his ground shied underarm at the bowler's stumps an unnecessary move with MIKE GATTING has decided hot to appeal ards played a ball that was barely short, firmly down from Pringle waiting in the right A Gooch not out. against the 5,000 fine im position. his hip only to see Curtis, at Curtis Ibw Marshall Bailey Benjamin A Smith Ibw Benjamin.

A Foster not out Extras (Ib4. nb3) 38 IS 3 1 7 64 posed on him by the Test and County Cricket Board. short leg, slip his hands under the chance and hurl the ball aloft. Pringle gathered the ball and possibly dislodged a bail, but pulled up a stump for good mea committee to find me guilty of one of the charges. I was shocked at the severity of the penalty.

"Until I sought legal advice, I thought I had power to prevent the publication of the offending parts of the book. I was then advised I had not." in a statement issued Total (lor 3) sure. Brian Kix would have Trading a nought from our loved it, but if looks could kill Ambrose would be six feet through his solicitor yesterday Gatting said: "I was disappointed, although not surprised, by the decision of the Fall Ot WICketSi 50. 55, 55. Bowling to date: Marshall 11-3-24-1; Ambrose 5-0-21-0; Benjamin 10-3-15-2.

Umpires: 0 Bird and Palmer. Richards for one from theirs might to England seem a pretty good deal. Foster had taken Give me five Logie becomes Foster's fifth West Indies victim PHOTOGRAPH: FRANK BARON under by now. Scoreboard Northamptonshire Essex day's only other victors, who left Surrey in mid-table after Prichard scatters the harriers beating them by five wickets at Weston-super-Mare. Britannic Assurance County Championship GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARWICKSHIRE Cheltenham: Gloucestershire (7pts) drew with Warwickshire (6).

GLOUCESTERSHIREFirst innings 356-8 dec (P Bainbridge 119, Romaines 99, A Stovold 52; A Reeve 4-71). WARWICKSHIRE-First innings 307-7 dec (Asif Din 84, A Thorns 74, A Smith SOno). WITH Kent only drawing at Canterbury yesterday, the win by Essex at Northampton enabled them to make up 14 points on the leaders, leap-frogging over the resting Worcestershire into second place. Rather more scorching progress up the championship lad-der was made by Somerset, the Somerset jumped from eighth to fourth, thanks largely to Peter Roebuck's 47 not out on a Tour match MINOR COUNTIES SRI LANKANS Sltaford: Match drawn. SRI LANKA First innings 224-4 dec (A Silva 76.

Kuruppu 52). MINOR COUNTIES First innings 184-5 dec (S Plumb 59). Bowllngi Ramanayake 5-0-26-0; Ahangama 11-1-37-1; Rajadurai 4-0-21-0: Amurasiri 10-0-47-2; Samarasekera 9-2-26-1: Tilleker-atne 1-0-13-0; Ranatunga 4-1-11-0. SRI LANKANS Second Innings Mahanama Ibw Evans 92 A Silva Ibw Evans S3 Tillekeratne Ibw Evans 28 A Samarasekera st Garnham Blank. 38 Mendis nol out 12 Kuruppu not out 2 Extras (Ib3, w5, nb7) 15 pig of a pitch which gave con Cyril Chapman at Northampton ULUUCeSTEHSHIHE Second Innings (overnight: 55-1) siderable turn and occasional bounce.

Romaines Ibw Parsons 50 Bainbridge Reeve Parsons 70 Ml Curran Lloyd Smith 2 WAIIeynec Humpage Reeve 21 Pooley not out 25 NORTH AMPTOHSHIRE ESSEX Northampton: Essex (22pts) beat Northamptonshire (7) bv (our wickets. tR Russell Thome Asif Din 41 YORKSHIRE NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Sheffield! Yorkshire (8pts) drew with Nottinghamshire (5). YORKSHIRE First innings 337 (P Robin- son 129no, Love 69; Hemmings 4-73). NOTTINGHAMSHIRE First innings (overnight: 110-6) NORTHAMPTONSHIRE-First innings 283 Lawrence Merrick Asit Din 'D A Graveney not out 3 Extras (Ib4, nb2) (R Williams ii. couiosione 71; 240 Total (for 4 dec).

Essex lost their mainstay, East, and when Hussain was bowled by Walker it brought a scratching of Essex heads over the awkward total of 73 for five. Despite harassing bowling from Davis and Walker, plus the continuous probings of Cook at the other end, Prichard and his captain kept a steady course. At tea Essex needed 30 runs off a minimum of 36 overs. On 111 Fletcher was caught off a short ball from Davis and all Essex hopes rested on Prichard. After a period of siege Prichard (finally 44 not out) hit Cook for two fours in the same over to carry his side within 12 runs of victory.

the visitors in their tracks by dismissing Stephenson and Lil-ley in the same over. His namesake and captain caught Stephenson and Lilley tried an aggressive shot too early and was bowled. Almost five hours in the middle in the Essex first innings had given Border a real insight into a pitch of unreliable bounce, but even he was outwitted by a ball from Davis which brought a thin edge to the wicketkeeper who took a low catch. Then Cook struck again, provoking East (34) into edging a high catch to a slip running behind the wicketkeeper. Then ther side could come to terms with a troublesome Northampton wicket and each day the events of the morning led to lunchtime indigestion.

Williams and Border had rescued their sides on the first two days, but yesterday no white charger appeared to save the home side from being bowled out for their lowest score of the season. They began very uncomfortably at 60 for five and lasted barely an hour as Topley obtained four Ibw decisions in a spell which brought four wickets for 14 runs in 29 deliveries. Essex started solidly enough and were 39 without loss at lunch. But Nick Cook stopped Fall of wlckatai 108. 167, 223.

223. 234 Total (lor 7 dec) Johnson Blakey Shaw 124 Fall o( wickets conti 1 18, 121. 152. 167. 225.

Miller 4-36). ESSEX. First innings 238 (A Border 110). NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Sacond Innings (overnight: 60-5) A Fordham Ibw Topley 31 tC Scott Bairstow Fletcher 11 226. ESSEX moved into second place in the championship table yesterday with a narrow win over Northamptonshire, who harried them all the way home after being bowled out for 89 in their second innings.

The target of 135 looked luxurious by third-day standards, but Essex lost their first five wickets for 73 runs and only a tenacious stand of 38 between Fletcher and Prichard gave them victory by four wickets. All through the match nei- Bowling: Merrick 8-3-34-0; Parsons 15-3-47-3; Asil Din 10-2-48-2; Munton Hemmings Blakey Hartley 3 Cooper Hartley 16 Millns not out Extras (Ib7, w1. nH) 12 Bowling: Hale 6-0-33-0: Blank 12-1-65-1: Evans 24-5-66-3Evans 24-5-66-3: O'Brien 18-2-73-0. MINOR COUNTIES Second Innings Stockdale Silva Ramanayake- 2 Plumb Tillekeratne RamanayakdOB 6-1-49-0; smith 7-2-20-1; Reeve 6-2-18-1; Cook Ibw Topley 5 Williams Ibw Topley Davis Ibw Topley 18 A Walker not out 2 A Robinson run out Lloyd 1-0-14-0. 195 Total (54.4 overs).

Fall of wickets conb 129. 142. 191. a t-onano low Anangama 1 Extras (M) 1 Henderson Samarasekera Bowllngi Hartley 21-3-85-5; Fletcher WARWICKSHIRE Sacond innings A Lloyd Alleyne Lawrence- A Moles Alderman Curran Asil Din Wright Lawrence Anurasin. 8 Total- 1 Fall of wlcksts conn 68.

86. 85. 88. iB-z-59-z; snaw 15.4-1-44-3. YORKSHIRE Sacond innings 28 24 14 Bowllngi Lever 11-2-14-1; Topley uanKs ret nurt- A Fell Ibw Ramanayake.

A Garnham not out Thomas Ramanayake-D Blank run out 39 25 37' 1 4 6 11 A Thome Alleyne Pooley- 64 Moxon not out- tG HumDaae Sub Graveney 1 1 21.1-8-3B-S; Miller l-S-3B-3. ESSEX Sacond Innlnas 51 A Hale not out- A A Metcalfe not out-Extras (bl, 11)3) 4 Kent Leicestershire Extras (Ib10, nb1). tD East Larkins Cook 34 A Reeve Alleyne Lawrence 14 A Smith Pooley Lawrence 32 Parsons Russell Alderman 52 A Merrick not out 0 A Munlon not out 234 110 Total ((or 0 dec). Total ((or 7) stepnenson cook Bowllngi Stephenson 3-0-13-0: Millns Cook 14 6-1-18-0; Birch 7.3-1-46-0; Robinson Extras (b4. Ib4.

nb3) 11 A Lilley 8 Cook A Border Ripley Davis Kent's spinners almost turn it 1S1 Total (lor B). 4-0-38-0. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Second innings Prichard not out 44 Hussain Walker 1 Fall of wickets: 0. 16. 42.

76, 86, 101. 171, 187. Fletcher Fordham Davis 20 Miller not out 4 45 Broad Fletcher- Lawrence 21-3-71-4; Curran Robinson Fletcher Extras (bl, Ib13, nb4) 18 67 2 Johnson Ibw Fietcher- Marlindale Blakey Fletcher. 6 David Foot at Canterbury 135 Total ((or 6). Randall not out 29 Fall of wlcksU: 42, 42.

50. 64. 73, 111. Bowllngi Davis 23-6-41-2: Walker Stephenson run out 13 Birch not out 18 Extras (bB. Ib12) 18 198 Total (tor 5).

Fall of wickets: 119. 121. 136. 137. 165.

Bowling: Hartley 6-0-40-0: Fletcher 12-0-48-4; Shaw 12-1-41-0; Carrick 17-1-51-0. Fall of wtckats: 19. 23. 124, 175, 204, 209, 223. Bowllngi Ramanayake 19-4-80-4: Ahangama 10-1-47-1: Anurasiri 12-1-59-1; Samarasekera 5-0-38-0.

Second Eleven Championship Romford! Sussex 259 (P Richardson 71. A Golding 4-66. A van Lint 4-67) and 181 (M Speight 72, van Lint 4-53). Essex 165 and 249 (A Golding 62. A Heselline 5-59).

Sussex won by 26 runs. Leiceaten Warwickshire 291-9 dec (T Parlon 54. Piper 51no: Newton 4-69) and 202-3 dec (S Green 54no. Hodgson 63no). Leicestershire 137 (J Benson 51: A Pierson 4-27: A A Donald 4-62) and 155 (Donald 4-27).

Warwickshire won by 211 runs. Harrow: Middlesex 400-6 dec (M A Rose-berry 215no) and 32-0. Northamptonshire 214 (PCR Tutnell 5-44) and 214 (A Penberthy 73, Hughes 5-64). Middlesex won by ten wickots Southampton: Hampshire 284-7 (H Wood 62, O'Connor 47) and 234-3 (T Middleton 91. Cox 55).

Kent 251-9 (J Longley 96. Kelleher 44) and 172-8 (0 Sabine 51, Cowley 4-72, 1 Turner 4-67). Match drawn. Oarbyi Nottinghamshire 289-8 dec (P Pollard 74, Evans 51) and 26-3 dec (Pollard 106. Newell 55no).

Derbyshire 253-9 dec (C Adams 65, Finney 56; Bore 4-60) and 141 (R Finney 53; Harding 5-45). Nottinghamshire won by 111 runs. Taunton: Gloucestershire 270 (J Lloyds 81, 0 Smith 88) and 302-6 (0 A Chidgey 55. Ibadulla 71. Llovds 17no).

iiu-i-47-i; cooiey e-i-s-i; Alderman 7.5-2-20-1; Graveney 16-6-36-1. Umptrss: Constant and Meyer. SUSSEX HAMPSHIRE Eastbourne: Sussex (5pts) drew wilh Hampshire (7). SUSSEX. First Innings 279 (A Clarke 68, A Wells 56; Ayllng 4-57).

HAMPSHIRE First innings 253-6 dec (J Aytlng 86, Terry 53; A Babington 4-70). SUSSEX Sacond Innings (overnight: 65-1) Lenham Smith Bakker 47 tP Parker not out 104 A Wells Scott James 7 I Gould James 4 Wells Smith Maru 1 1 ACS Plgott not out 35 Extras (Ib4, wl, nb8) 13 Total ((or 5 dec) 225 Fall of wickets conb 85. 113, 131, 154. Bowllngi Jefferies 6-0-22-0: Bakker 16-3-43-2; James 22-4-67-2; Ayling 9-2-25-0; Maru 16-2-46-1; Nicholas 1-0-5-0; Scott 2.3-0-13-0. the Leicestershire bowlers taking two wickets in five balls just after lunch and Cowdrey the best of the batsmen.

A good-humoured Festival crowd fell rapt and silent as the game neared its climax. This was the hard stuff at last as Kent hunted resolutely for a result. The flags and flippancy were forgotten. Until Agnew was bowled, aiming for the top of the pavilion, Leicestershire were rightly still going for the runs. Then the short legs came back to crowd the bat as Ferris demonstrated his unconventional version of the forward defensive shot.

however, to pace the remainder of the innings. At 183 he held back and watched in anguish as Davis was offered a token return catch. Almost at once Cowdrey held Potter on the midwicket boundary. There were two wicket maidens for Harman, the off-spinner who took just seven wickets for Somerset last season from half a dozen matches and was not retained. He held a rigid length for the most part, made what he could of a deteriorating wicket and finished with 5 for 68 in just under 25 overs.

Kent had made a realistic declaration at 140 for 6. Ferris had been the most successful of But there must have been a strong temptation discreetly to take them out of the attack when Gower and Whitaker threatened to turn the match and make victory for Leicestershire a formality. As the final 20 overs arrived, with 128 still needed, the two batsmen plundered 51 runs in five overs. Whitaker creamed four boundaries in an over off Davis, and then Gower went after Harman. The stirring stand was worth 84 when Gower made what looked suspiciously like an error of judgment.

He charged at Harman and was stumped. Whitaker (48) was still there, 13-1-az-i; Robinson 7.i-i-ib-u: cook (nbb) 21-9-30-3. Umpires: Leadbeater and A Whitehead. KENT LEICESTERSHIRE Canttfburyi Kent (8pts) drew with Leicestershire (5). KENT First innings 327 (R Pienaar 128; Agnew 7-61).

LEICESTERSHIRE. First innings 247 (D I Gower 90: Penn 5-6B). KENT Sacond Innings Benson Whilticase Ferris 15 Taylor Briers Willey 22 Pienaar st Whilticase Such 23 Tavare Briers Such 17 Ward Porter Ferris 12 Cowdrey not out 36 Ellison Whilticase Ferris 1 Penn not out 7 Extras (b3, Ib3, nb2) 8 FIRST CLASS AVERAGES Batting Qualification: 8 Innings: Average: lUENT kept their nerve, stifled the Leicester-IILshire offensive and in the end came near to the win that would have put them reassuringly aloft and almost beyond the grasp of their leading rivals in the championship. Leicestershire faced a target of 221 off a minimum of 58 overs, and the slow bowlers held the key. Richard Davis, left-arm, was on by the sixth over, and Mark Harman soon afterwards.

They both spun the ball, especially Harman, and occasionally obtained lift. Waugh A Hick A Gooch Athey A Border Crowe Barrett Holmes Slack A Atherton Bowler W. Gatting MAUDSMIDB 140 Total (lor 6 dec). innings Fall of wickets: 23. 58.

76, 86. 108, 116. I NO Runs HS Avg 18 5 1041 161 80.07 25 1 1855 405 77.29 23 1 1482 275 67.36 22 6 1064 168 66.50 26 7 1193 169' 62.78 9 1 487 136" 60.87 22 2 1108 239" 55.40 18 3 798 117 53.20 19 4 791 163" 52.73 15 2 678 151" 52.15 27 4 1169 159' 50.82 21 0 1048 210 49.90 18 5 630 157" 48.46 16 3 587 102' 45.15 20 3 761 103' 44.76 14 I 577 154" 44.38 27 5 956 117 43.45 29 3 1128 124' 43.38 27 4 989 126 43.00 27 3 1022 158" 42.58 20 3 721 117 42.41 27 3 1013 131 42.20 31 4 1130 151 41.85 KA aeon uiarxe. Somerset 408 (J Wyatt 151, Scriven 68. Bowllngi Agnew 17-3-55-0: Ferris 13-3-42-3; Such 7-1-25-2; Willey 4-0-12-1 Smith Babington Clarke 27 Smith Richards A Lvnch nicnoias SI Moore uiaine i Terry not out SO Gloucestershire Warwickshire Smith and Parsons afford sanctuary to battered Banks A Feiton eeno).

Matcn drawn. Old Traffordi Lancashire 369-9 dec (M Atherton 118. DFitlon 111, Makinson 55. I Austin 50) and 92-6 (J Robinson 5-43). Surrey 151 (A Murphy 5-64) and 313 (G Thorpe 123, Blcknell 65).

Match drawn. i urner Clarke a Avlina CM Wells Clarke 2 LEICESTERSHIRE Saeond Innings Boon Ward Harman Briers Harman JeHerles CM Walls Gould 22 0 James Faulkner Gould 12 Willey Davis. tR Parks nnt out 11 I Gower st Marsh Harman. Wright Parker Smith Maynard Asil Din A Lamb Curtis Mendis (') signifies not Extras (Ib6. nb2) 8 Minor Counties Championship Norwich: Durham 157 and 184-8 dec (S 33 20 16 43 48 14 3 11 4 11 Paul Fitipatrlck at Cheltenham Total ((or 7) 207 Fa of wickatw 75.

98, 109. 109, 129. 166, Whitaker and Davis Potter Cowdrey Harman Agnew Harman tP Whilticase not out Ferris not out Extras (b3. Ib7, w1) 191. Atkinson 64; Klngshott 4-52).

Norfolk! 123 (S Dixon 52; I Conn 5-49) and 201-9 (Dixon 68; Conn 5-69). Match drawn. Dorchsstert Berkshire 216-7 dec (G Head-ley 102no) and 132-6 dec (G Loveday 73no). Dorset 173 (J A Clauahton BS .1 I euilnntnn Bowling Qualification: 15 Wickets: Bowllngi Plgott 4-1-25-0: Babington 8-2-23-0; Wells (CM) 13-2-33-0; Clarke 20.4-6-60-5; Bunting 4-1-12-0: Gould 0B COTTAM, the War-Iwickshire manager, offered 9-1-4B-Z. OvrsMdn 173.2 52 Total ((or 7) 203 FaU of wickets: 54.

65, 73, 157. 183. 185. 193. Bowllngi Penn 6-2-10-0; Ellison 2-0-14-0: Davis 28-6-101-2; Harman 24.4-5-68-6.

0 Mortensen Runs Wckts Avg 338 26 13.00 698 44 15.66 Evans and Oslear. Birkenshaw annd Julian. 6-51) and 179-8 (P Lewington 7-70). Dorset won by two wickets. Today's fixtures TOUR MATCH (11.O-6.30).-Trmt Bridge! Nottinghamshire Sri Lanka.

BRITANNIC ASSURANCE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP (11.0-6.30). Swansea! Glamorgan Surrey. Chattanhami Gloucestershire Yorkshire. OM Traffordi Lanca 300.2 86 451.5 125 178.3 33 576.3 139 325.2 86 233.2 52 249.5 42 616 177 127.3 12 275 85 446.1 124 st Clarke ARC Fraser Williams Stephenson Cowans Jarvis Fletcher Cooper A Smith A Munlon Allolt Parsons A Mallender produced a pitch that was approaching the ideal sought by the TCCB; it was dry, had some pace and bounce in it and yet encouraged the batsmen to play shots, of which there has been a glut since Wednesday. There was something for everybody, in fact.

It did not, though, produce a victory, desperately close though Gloucestershire came to winning. A target of 284 in a minimum of 61 overs was always likely to be taxing for Warwickshire, but it quickly receded into the distance as they lost Lloyd off the first ball of the innings, Moles at 15 and AsifDinat42. It was thus quickly a case not of whether Warwickshire would score the runs but whether Gloucestershire would bowl them out. At 101 for six, that looked a distinct possibility, but for the second time in the game they were seriously obstructed by Smith Parsons. Before these two joined forces in a seventh-wicket stand of 70 Warwickshire had lost the additional wickets of Thome a first championship victim here for the promising YTS debutant, Pooley Humpage to a nicely-judged catch by the substitute, Pitts, and Reeve to an unconvincing pull.

Banks by now was also on his way to hospital. He was struck on the thumb early in his innings by Lawrence, not one of the great thinking bowlers of the game but a real handful on this pitch, and later by Pooley. He would have batted again if the situation had become urgent enough. Smith and Parsons, who completed a meritorious 50 before falling to a catch behind, made sure that Banks could remain in the safety of the pavilion. Smith, like Banks, was twice hit on the thumb but battled it through until the penultimate over.

He is a good player, Smith. He might yet become a very good one. David Gower, Michael Holding and Chris Cowdrey will play in a charity match next month at New Maiden as part of a 1.9 million appeal to rebuild the children's cancer ward at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton. shire Middlesex. Laleasten Leicestershire SOMERSET SURREY Waaton super Marai Somerset (21pts) beat Surrey (4) by live wickets.

SURREY First innings 148 (N A Mallender 4-22) and 119 (V Marks 5-41). SOMERSET First Innings 159 (K Medley-cott 5-55, 1 A Greig 4-40). SOMERSET Sacond innings (overnight: 55-4) Roebuck not out 47 Bartlett and Medlycott 3 tN 0 Burns not out 26 Extras (Ib5) 6 Hampshire. weston-aimar-Marai Somer the view yesterday that if all pitches were like Cheltenham there would not be a lot wrong with the English game. With Stovold receiving a nasty blow on the head on Thursday he took no further part in the game but he is all right and Banks taken to hospital yesterday with a broken thumb, you could take the alternative view that if all pitches were as lively as this there would not be a game to play.

But Cottam was right. John Taylor is a well-respected groundsman, and he set Derbyshire. Edgbastam Warwickshire Northamptonshire. Klddarminatan Worcestershire Sussex. 202.3 61 973 511 1585 791 651 757 1555 404 693 1023 496 662 1300 844 953 832 1071 1158 843 973 1221 58 16.77 30 17.03 91 17.41 45 17.57 37 17.59 41 18.46 82 18.96 21 19.23 36 19.25 52 19.67 25 19.84 33 20.06 64 20.31 41 20.58 46 20.71 40 20.80 51 21.00 55 21.05 40 21.07 46 21.15 57 21.42 31 21.48 293.3 84 County table Kent (14) 16 Essai(12) 16 Wares (S) 15 Som(ll) 15 Warks(IS) 15 Lanes (2) 15 Notts (1) 16 Laics (3) 16 Sumy (4) 15 Nthants(7) 16 Olouc(IO) 16 MkMl(ie) 15 Darbys6) 15 Yorks(8) 15 Hants (6) 15 Susa(17) 15 aiam(IJ) 14 74.

Bt Bl Pts 38 49 215 42 50 188 35 49 180 30 47 165 33 49 162 28 45 161 20 56 162 39 .46 1 40 36 48 148 32 49 145 38 42 144 27 37 188 36 34 118 24 46 118 23 42' 97 25 60 01 25 33 68 431.2 298.5 344.3 2 10 4 7 5 7 5 7 75 TOMORROW REFUGE ASSURANCE LEAGUE (2.0-7.0). Ebbw Valsi Glamoroan Surrev. 110 Total (lor S). 358.1 103 313.2 60 376.3 83 Fail of wickatm conn 60. WW Davis A Foster I A Greig A Sidebottom Curran Newport Dilley Small Alderman Wasim Akram CheHanhanu Gloucestershire Yorkshire.

SlaokDOOb Lancashire Middlesex. Lalco- 3 8 2 10 6 6 4 9 7 7 4 10 Bowllngi Blcknoll 2-0-10-0: Peters 2-0-16-0; Feltham 3-0-11-0; Greig 12-2-21-0; Medlycotl 15-5-33-5; Bullon 6-1-14-0. 295.1 51 379.3 107 422.3 94 291.4 76 tan Leicestershire Hampshire. Weston-supsr-Msroi Somerset Derbyshire'. Edg.

baatom Warwickshire Northamptonshire. Worcester! Worcestershire Sussex. Balderstone and A White..