The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 19

THE GUARDIAN Monday May 29 1995 SPORTS NEWS 19 Soccer Scottish Cup finals Airdrie 0, Celtic 1 Van Hooijdonk Second Division play-off final; Bristol Rovers 1, Huddersfield Town 2 puts problem may Dose annniocGc under the Patrick Glenn at Hampden Park Russell Thomas at Wembley in the final minute rebounded from the angle with Steve Francis beaten. Seldom has a final so poorly rewarded its man of the match. The 22-year-old forward had brought Rovers suddenly back into the game, volleying home deep into first-half injury time. Sixty-eight seconds previously Booth had headed Huddersfield in front with his 30th goal of the season. Stewart later delivered a header against the crossbar only for Taylor to mishit grotesquely from the rebound at point-blank range and sent a curling shot fractionally past the far post.

Then, when Town's substitute Dunn delivered a cross with his first touch, Booth backheaded and Billy sent Huddersfield headlong into celebration. Brietol Rovera: Parkin; Pritchard. Clark, Tillson, Gurnoy, Sterling, Miller, Skinner, Channing (Archer, Stewart. Taylor (Browning, 81). Huddersfield Town: Francis: Trevitt (Dyson, 56), Scully, Sinnott.

Cowan, Billy, Duxbury, Bullock. Crosby (Dunn. 81). Booth, Jepson. Retereei Wilkes (Gloucester).

67 years must match War-nock's ambitions for the club. "Huddersfield have got to think big and be big," he declared. "They've got the potential. Whether it's with me or not, the club will go forwards." If Huddersfield do not offer terms acceptable to a manager now adding play-off success to his 1990 and 1991 Wembley double with Notts County, then offers will come from other clubs. Derby and Plymouth will be among them.

Warnock can give few clues. "I'm seeing the chairman on Monday and we've got to speak a lot. I want to know certain things and then go away and think about them. But I'm not the sort of manager who goes anywhere lightly. It has to be for something." Rovers contributed manfully, increasingly stylishly, to a match rising in dramatic intensity.

But in the end the delicious prospect of trading places with relegated Bristol City disappeared as Marcus Stewart's stupendous shot from 25 yards IUDDERSFIELD now have the First Div ision platform from I which to launch their newly rediscovered ambition. But whether Neil Warnock, managerial master of the playoffs, will spearhead it remains as finely balanced as yesterday's match, which was dramatically resolved by Chris Billy's diving header nine minutes from time. Warnock has been working without a contract under the chairman Terry Fisher two men, as the manager admits, who "have had A formal deal, Warnock hopes, will be the reward for a personal, unique third play-off final triumph which has delivered to Huddersfield the status to match their spanking new 15 million Kirklees home. But the Yorkshire club, who are also indebted to this manager for their first Wembley triumph in five finals spanning Part of the problem is that neither man understands the other's business. McCann insisted yesterday that his relationship with Burns was adding that "we know he has a big job to do here, and, that we have to give him the backing to do that But almost a year after his appointment Burns has yet to sign a formal contract with the club and it is believed he is troubled by some of the conditions attached to the one he has most recently been offered; he would be unable to buy or sell without the permission of the chairman.

All of the problems were, at least temporarily, swept away on the flash-flood of euphoria which saturated Hampden Park as the referee brought the 110th Scottish Cup final to a close. All of Celtic's previous 29 victories in the competition they are the most prolific winners, four ahead of Rangers were probably achieved more stylishly and convincingly, but the result on this occasion was more important than the manner of its achievement. SCORER: Celtic: Van Hooijdonk (9min). Airdrie: Martin: Stewart. Jack.

Sandison. Hay. Black. Boyle. A Smith, Coopor.

Harvey, Lawrence. Celtic: Bonner: Boyd, McKinlay, Vata. McNally, Grant, McLaughlin, McStay, Van Hooidonk. Donnelly. Collins.

Referee: Mottram (Forth). Japan won the Kirin Cup on goal difference from Scotland after beating Ecuador 3-0 in Tokyo. Scotland drew 0-0 with Japan and beat Ecuador 2-1. INNING the Tennents Scottish Cup could prove as meaningful or as meaningless to Celtic as having the first number in the National Lottery. What follows this victory will be at least of equal significance to a club striving to emerge from the poverty of six years without a trophy and a decade of misdirection from the boardroom which took them to the edge of bankruptcy.

The possibility of the departure of John Collins, the international midfielder, and the delicate relationship between the manager Tommy Bums and the chairman Fergus McCann are elements that could have as profound an effect on the future as the ninth-minute goal with which Pierre van Hooijdonk secured the cup for the 30th time. Collins has been unsettled for some time and Middlesbrough are believed to have made a firm offer of 2 million for him. But they may be second favourites behind Chelsea and Collins may decide to stay. Celtic's resurgence will depend to some extent on whether Burns and McCann are able to secure the new players the manager would like. He has already identified Dmitri Radchenko, Real Santander's Russian forward, and Marc Degryse, the Anderlecht midfielder.

Piatt sent off for DAVID PLATT, the England captain, was sent off yesterday as Sampdoria drew 2-2 with Internazionale. The midfielder departed in the 59th minute for handling Delvecchio's shot on the line. Bergkamp hit a post with the resultant spot-kick. Roma secured a Uefa Cup Third Division play-off: Bury 0, Chesterfield 2 Duncan lands personal gamble against the odds Don Beet at Wembley I EVER go back, some people say. But John Dun can, who in his first spell with Chesterfield took them out of the Fourth Division as champions, was lured from teaching in February 1993 to have another go and this result justified his gamble.

"It has all been worth it," Duncan enthused. He deserved the drink he promised himself later: so did Tony Lormor and Phil Robinson, free-transfer signings last December. Their goals knocked the heart out of their opponents. Cricket keeper Parkin gives his view of the winning goal frank baron by Sharp earns Captains' stars on opposite courses pretender David Hopps at Lord's applauds the grace of the man out of luck for the man i form Bury flung everything at Billy Stewart's goal from the start. "It was like Custer's last stand out there," said Chesterfield's captain Nicky Law.

But the third-choice goalkeeper stood firm "solid as a rock," said Duncan and although Bury won 11 first-half corners to Chesterfield's three, the Derbyshire side looked the more composed. Their first goal, credited to Robinson by the referee, was in fact scored by Lormor when his team-mate, a six-times Wembley veteran, was in an offside position. As Morris handled Law's long throw before it reached Lormor, Bury were edies which put Atherton's occasional cricketing tribulations into perspective. Never far from Richardson's mind during this Texaco series has been the well-being of his girlfriend, who has been brought to England for an operation. Two years ago, when he was at Yorkshire, his mother died; last summer he returned to the Caribbean after his son had been injured in a car crash.

It was little wonder that fatigue caused Richardson to take a six-month break from the game; and fortune has ESSEX MIDDLESEX Chelmsford: Essex won by two runs. ESSEX Prichard Gatling 54 Waugh Brown Feltham 19 Hussain st Brown Galling 13 A Gooch Follham Galling 50 Irani Ibw Tutnell 4 I Dnhlnrnn nnl 4 4 Lewis Weekos Gatting 5 Extras (Ib8. wio. nb2) 20 Total (lor 6. 37 overs) 178 Fall of wickets: 49.

99, 106. 121, 171, 178. Did not bat: tR Rollins. Andrew, Such. Cousins.

Bowling: Johnson 7-O-5O-0: Nash 6-0-18-0: Feltham 8-0-25-1; Tutnell 8-0-33-1; Gatting 8-0-14-1. MIDDLESEX A'Feltham Cousins 23 Pooley Rollins Irani 10 Weekes run out 7 Carr Irani 10 Gatting Prichard Waugh 46 tK fl Brown Ibw Irani 10 Farbrace Waugh 26 Nash run out 10 Johnson Waugh 8 A Radtord not out 2 Tutnell not out 1 Extras (bl, Ib12. wtO) 23 Total (lor 9. 37 overs) 176 Fall: 43. 48.

60, 64. 95, 142, 158, 167, 174. Bowling: Cousins 8-1-29-1: Andrew 7- C-49-2; Waugh 8-O-30-1; Such 6-1-23-0; Irani 8-0-32-3. OLOUCS WORCS Gloucester Worcestershire won on taster scoring rate. WORCESTERSHIRE Curtis not out 82 Church Dawson Cooper 17 Moody st Russell Ball 65 Haynes Srinath 40 A Loatherdale not oul 8 Extras (Ibl.

w4. nbB) 13 Total (lor 3, 40 overs) 225 Fall of wickots: 35, 145, 208. Did not bat: tS Rhodes. Lampitt, Solanki, Newport, lllingworth. Radlord.

Bowling: Srinath 8-1-44-1: Cooper 8- 1-35-1; Smith 7.4-1-40-0: Ball 8-0-44-1; Oawson 0 2-0-2-0; Alleyno 8-0-59-0. GLOUCESTERSHIRE A Wright lllingworth 39 Hodgson Ibw Haynes 4 A Lynch Lampitt 21 I Dawson Rhodes Radlord 15 Alleyne Radlord 3 A Symonds Radlord 1 1 fR Russell not out 56 Srinath Moody Radlord 1 Ball Moody Radlord 1 5 Extras (b2. Ib2. w3. nb6) 13 Total (lor 8, 32 overs) 178 Fall: 17.

63. 79, 89, 91, 122, 130. 178. Did not bat: Cooper, A Smith. Bowling: Newport 8-0-41-0; Haynes 4-0-13-1; Lampitt 6-0-31-1; lllingworth 8-0-32-1; Radtord 6-0-57-5.

Umpires: Holder and Meyer. doubly aggrieved. They were merely embarrassed later when they saw another Law throw bounce on to Robinson's head. Bury's 80 points would have given them the championship last season, but their disappointed manager Mike Walsh still loves the play-offs. "They are great for the supporters," he said.

Chesterfield went one point better, so many will say that justice was done. SCORERS: Chesterfield: Lormor (23mm), Robinson (41). Bury: Kelly: Woodward. Stanislaus. Daws.

Lucketti, Jackson. Mulligan (Hughes, 60), Carter (Paskin. h-t). Stant, Rigby. Pugh.

Chesterfield: Stewart: Hewitt. Rogers, Curtis. Carr. Law, Robinson. Howard (Perkins.

77), Lormor (Davies. 85). Morris, Hazel. Referee: Alcock (Redhill). railed peevishly at him since his return.

He must have reflected last night on the narrow margin between success and failure. His brief satisfaction at catching Atherton at mid-on when England's captain was only 29 was short-lived, as Ian Bishop had overstepped. Later, batting down at No. 6 a decision which puts a further question-mark against his self-confidence he failed to make an impression for the third time in the series. Darren Gough's full toss looked to be heading down the leg side but, in happier times, Old Father Time would have ducked for cover.

If Atherton's 92 at The Oval in the one-day LEICESTERSHIRE DURHAM Leicester: Leics won on faster scoring rate. DURHAM 'M A Roseberry Pierson Parsons 11 Larkins Maddy Cronje 42 Prabhakar Whitakor Pierson 28 Saxelby Maddy Cronje 0 Morris Ibw Maddy 15 I Longley Nixon Maddy 26 tD Ligertwood Pierson Maddy 3 Boiling not out 5 Killoen st Nixon Pierson 5 Brown Mullally 6 Betts not out 0 Extras (Ib7. w12 19 Total (for 9, 40 overs) 100 Fall: 29. 75. 76.

88. 120. 135. 144. 150.

160. Bowling: Parsons 5-0-20-1: Mullally 8-0-22-1; Millns 4-0-27-0; Cronje 8-1-19-2; Pierson 8-0-34-2; Maddy 7-1-31-3. LEICESTERSHIRE Wells not oul 66 Briers Boiling Killeen 22 Cronje not out 30 Extras (Ib3. w3, nb2) 8 Total (tor 1. 25 overs) 126 Fall of wickeb 43.

Did not bat: Maddy. Whitaker. Smith, tP A Nixon. Millns, Parsons, A Pierson. A Mullally.

Bowling: Prabhakar 4-1-11-0: Brown 5-0-22-0: Killoen 5-1-31-1: Betts 5-0-21-0; Saxelby 4-0-20-0; Boiling 2-0-18-0. Umpires: Bond and Julian. WARWICKSHIRE SOMERSET Edgbaston: Warwickshire won on faster scoring rale. WARWICKSHIRE Knight Trescothick Trump 23 Smith Ibw Trump 71 A Moles Harden Trump 32 Twose Trescothick Hallotl 58 A Roove not out 17 A Smith Kerr 20 Penney Holloway Kerr 9 Brown Kerr 0 tK Pipor not out 2 Extras (b8, Ib14, w6) 28 Total (for 7, 40 overs) 260 Fall: 68. 128, 147, 213, 245, 258.

258. To bat: Small, A Munton. Bowling: Rose 8-0-45-0: Ecclestone 4-1-19-0; Hallett 4-0-47-1; Kerr 8-0-52-3; Trump 8-1-37-3; Mushlaq 8-1-38-0. SOMERSET Trescothick Piper Munton 7 Lathwell Piper Munlon 5 Bowler Piper A Smith 34 Harden Smith A Smith 31 Rose Ponney Munton 49 Ecclestone not out 31 Mushtaq Ahmed not out 4 Extras (Ib6. w6, nt4) 16 Total (tor 5.

29 ovorsi 177 Fall of 10. 18. 84. 85. 171.

Did not bat: Hallett, tP Holloway, I Kerr. Trump. Bowling: Reeve 7-0-35-0; Munton 6-0-45-3; Small 8-2-31-0; A Smith 8-0-60-2. Umpires: Harris and Lyons. LANCASHIRE HOTTINOHAMSHIRE Old Trafford: Lanes won by four wickels.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Dowman Hegg Wasim 13 Robinson Walkinson Yates 63 Johnson Austin 28 Cairns Walkinson Yates 27 Archer not out 27 Evans run oul 7 Extras (Ib5, w2) 7 Total (for 5, 39 overs) 1 72 Fall of wickets: 44, 103, 113, 157. 172. Did not bat: Wiloman. Mike. tW Noon, Hindson, A Pick.

Bowling: Austin 8-1-38-1; Chappie 7- 0-26-0: Walkinson 8-0-32-0; Wasim 8- 0-33-1; Yates 8-1-38-2. goal line save place next season with a 3-0 win over the newly crowned champions Juventus, with Aldair, Fonseca and Balbo scoring the goals. Niall Quinn, the Manchester City striker, is due to meet Sporting Lisbon officials today to discuss his proposed 1.4 million transfer. Hockey shooting Guildford cup final victory Pat Rowley SOME brilliantly taken goals and high-calibre goallceep-ing by Kevin Priday brought Guildford a 4-1 victory in an entertaining HA Cup final at Canterbury yesterday. The win, which denied Ted-dington the cup and league double, was virtually a carbon copy of their National League meeting in March, which Guildford also won 4-1.

Ted-dington had the early chances, but saw their dangerous winger Gibbins limp off and then succumbed to the flair of Guildford's attack. The result was in the balance for a long time after Teddington cut their deficit to 2-1 on the stroke of half-time, but two late corner goals by Ian Jennings, who must have greatly improved his chances of an England call-up, put the result beyond doubt. Danny Hall made the first goal for Guildford, cutting in from the left to set up Richard Markham. Hall scored the second himself, with a perfectly placed shot from Cartmell's centre, soon after Morris had shot against a post. It was Teddington's captain Andy Billson, following up a McGuire corner shot, who revived Teddington hopes.

But too many of his fellow players were on their heels. Guildford: Priday (capt): Ferguson. Barker. Matlon. Rohortson, Morris, I Jennings.

Gilsland, Cartmoll. 0 Hall, Markham. Toddinatoni Merodith, McGuire. Wallis. Way, A Colclough, Lasletl.

Irvine, Mooro. Gibbins. Nicklm, A Billson (capt). Umpires: Little and Roper. ticket Official news and scores 0891 22 88 Counties update Derbyshire 31 Middlesex 40 Durham 32 Northarrts.

41 Essex 33 Notts. 42 Glamorgan 34 Somerset 43 Gloucs. 35 Surrey 44 Hampshire 36 Sussex 45 Kent 37 Warwicks. 46 Lancashire 38 Worcester 47 Leics. 39 Yorkshire 48 Complete county scores 0891 22 88 30 Rugby World Cup News and Scores 0891 22 83 26 Calls cost 39pVmin cheap rato, 49pmin at nil other times.

Soppfiod by. IMS, 1 5 Mart Laio, Leeds LSI 8LO. 713 4473 As for Richardson, there is little indication that Curtly Ambrose is about to rush to his aid. Three Texaco internationals have failed to bring a single wicket and those who only the other day lived in awe of his talents are already disposed to taunt him. There were jeers at any excuse, when luck went against him or he looked even remotely cumbersome in the field.

Whether overweight drunks, small-time club batsmen, stress-ravaged businessmen or gawky youths, all scented the chance to deride Curtly. It was a dangerous as well as tasteless game and one which England's batsmen remain much too prudent to join. Lanes bank on oyd for win ANCASHIRE claimed an lunlikely win against Not tinghamshire at Old Trafford yesterday to stay top of the Sunday league. They were 94 for six in reply to Nottinghamshire's 172 for five, but Graham Lloyd (59 not out) and Ian Austin (36) engineered a four-wicket win with a stand of 79 before a wide guaranteed victory. Essex pulled off a thrilling two-run victory over Middlesex at Chelmsford despite Mike Gatting's four for 44 and his score of 46.

At Gloucester, Gloucestershire needed three off the last delivery from Neal Radford (five for 57) but Martyn Ball's shot to long-on was taken by Tom Moody to clinch victory for Worcestershire on faster scoring rate. Vince Wells's unbeaten 66 guided Leicestershire home against Durham. The home side's 126 for one off 25 overs was sufficient for victory on scoring rate. Glamorgan's Steve Barwick took six for 43 to steer his side to an 11-run victory over Kent, dismissing Mark Ealham, Steve Marsh and Dean Hedley in his final over. At Portsmouth, Franklyn Stephenson cleaned up Hampshire's lower order and his four for 37 was largely responsible for Sussex's first league win of the season.

Tim Munton, returning for Warwickshire after a back operation, took three for 45 as Somerset lost on scoring rate at Edgbaston. League Table Not my fault, lads Rovers' international was an immediate retort to sniping at his supposed lack of motivational qualities, he' played the most assertive one-day innings of his life yesterday to the tune of the old carpet jingle, "1001 gets rid of your workaday That frown refused to lighten last summer at Lancashire where, exhausted after a Caribbean series and then beset by the dirt-in-the-pocket affair, Atherton could not rouse himself to life. This season has been a revelation: five hundreds, three of them in one-day cricket, and more than 1,000 runs in all competitions before the end of May. A younger England side looks positive and vibrant. LANCASHIRE Gallian Archer Evans- Titchard Hindson Cairns 14 Crawley Evans 7 Speak Noon Cairns 22 Lloyd not out 59 Walkinson st Noon Hindson 19 Wasim Akram run oul 4 I Austin not out 36 Extras (Ib3.

w5. nh4) 12 Total (for 6. 38 overs) 1 73 Fall of wickots: 0. 12, 48, 49. 79.

94. Did not bat: fW Hegg. Chappie. Yates. Bowling: Evans 7-2-26-2; Pick 8-1-17-0; Mike 8-0-44-0; Cairns 8-0-37-2; Hindson 6-0-35-1; Wileman 1-0-11-0.

KENT GLAMORGAN Tunbridge Wells: Glam won by 11 runs. GLAMORGAN James Headloy 29 'H Morris Cowdrey Headley 38 Maynard Headloy 8 A Cohey Headley 52 Hemp Igglesden McCaguc 1 A Dale run out 36 Crott not out 7 Extras (b1, Ib4, w4) 9 Total (lor 6. 23 overs) 180 Fall of wickets: 61, 76, 107. 112. 165.

180. Did not bat: Lolebvro. Melson, Watkin, Barwick. Bowling: Igglesden 4-0-32-0; Ealham 3- 0-14-0; Headley 8-0-59-4; McCague 6-0-48-1: Fleming 2-0-22-0. KENT Ward Metson Barwick 32 Benson Morris Lelebvrc 6 Walker Ibw Lolebvre 13 A do Silva Lolobvre Watkin 4 Cowdrey Hemp Barwick Fleming Dale Barwick 36 A Ealham Maynard Barwick 47 IS A Marsh Lcfebvro Barwick 16 McCague run out 1 Headley Lelebvre Barwick A Igglesden not out 1 Extras (Ib12, wl) 13 Total (22.3 overs) 169 Fall: 18, 45.

54. 63. 64. 105. 164, 166.

167. Bowling: Watkin 8-0-58-1; Lelobvrc 7.3-0-50-2; Barwick 7-0-49-6. Saturday's board BRITANNIC ASSURANCE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP: Chelmsford: Middx 473 (M Gatting 94. Emburoy 87, A Radlord 69. Nash 67).

Essex 207 Irani 69; Emburey 4-53) and 257-6 (P Prichard 69. Irani 62no). Oloucesten Worcs 172 (Smith 4- 68. Srinath 4-35) and 130 (Smith 6-57). Gloucs 375 (R I Oawson 101; Radford 5-45).

Gloucs (24pts) beat Worcs (4) by an innings and 73 runs. Portsmouth: Hants 534 (V Terry 170. A Smith 120. A Aymes 60). Sussex 196 (Stephenson 4-45) and 232 (Streak 4-8t).

Hants 24pls) beat Sussex (1) by an innings and 106 runs. Liverpool: Lanes 309 IS Titchard 57. Cairns 5-64) and 110-0 (S Titchard 56no). Notts 292 (R Robinson 136). Leicester: Leics 380 (J Whitaker 92.

Parsons 73. Wells 58; Prabhakar 7-65). Durham 138 (Pierson 5-48) and 151. Leics (24pls) beat Durham (3) by an Innings and 91 runs. Edgbeston: Somersot 495 (P Bowler 176, Holloway 61) and 66-3.

Warks 314-4 doc (T Penney 101no, Wasim Khan 69, Knight 58). Sheffield: Yorks 250 (C White 110: Kumblo 4-63) and 174-6 (D Byas 57no). Northanls 357 (R Bai-loy 111, 0 Capel 72; Milburn 4-68). Tunbridge Wells: Kent 369 (P A deSilva 135, Ward 98: Anthony 5-70) and 253-8 doc (M A Ealham 72; Kendrick 4-70). Glam 352-8 doc (A Dale 133, Morris 114) and 269-8 (A A Coltey 85, Maynard 73; Patol 5-99).

Kont (7pts) drew with Glam 18). OTHER MATCH: The Parke: Derbys 261-2 doc(WAOessaur 119no. Wells 115) and 95-5. Oxlord Univ 97 and 258 (Casser 4-54). Derbys won by live wickots.

Tennis lo David on two young upstarts who threaten to storm the barricades in Paris LEAST some degree of credibility in the ailing i women's game and a feeling of renewed optimism for its longer-term future would be kindled if, by happy chance, the quarter-final line-up at the French Open, which begins here at Stade Roland Garros today, were to include Iva Ma-joli Martina Hingis. At 17 and 14 years respectively, Majoli (from Croatia, though now living in the United States) and Hingis (from Switzerland, though born in the now Czech Republic) are the two most highly regarded youngsters to have emerged recently in a sport which, many feel, is systematically strangling itself by its sameness. Though it is more than likely the last-eight spot will go, as the seedings suggest, to France's new favourite Mary Pierce and the top-ranked American Lindsay Davenport, both Majoli and Hingis have already achieved enough to be regarded as a threat. Majoli started playing the WTA Tour at 15 and has risen to 12th place in the rankings. And Hingis, though this is only her 11th senior tournament, is 23rd.

She made the final in Hamburg this month. Inevitably comparisons have been made between Majoli and Monica Seles, coming as they do from similar backgrounds, but despite a backhand that has the Seles stamp all over it and the same machine-gun giggle, the Croat insists she is not influenced by the former world No. 1. Her progress, though, has had a Seles-like swiftness. Hingis knows all about winning at the Stade Roland Garros she was under-18 champion at 12 and 13 and in only eight months she has made a remarkable transition from Basketball England suffer Robert Pryce in Birmingham THE race went to the swift yesterday at the NEC, and the huge stumbled in behind.

The momentum that had carried England's large but unlikely-looking team through four successive wins and into the next round of the European Championship disappeared soon after the tip-off against Poland, who seized the initiative early and won 88-71. "In the bottom of the heart," said England's coach Laszlo Ne- HI LORD'S rose in heart-warming acclaim for Michael lAtherton, Richie Richardson's gracious applause was just one more sound among 28,000. But in many ways it was the most sincere recognition of all, offered by a man painfully aware of the demands of the captain's role. As West Indies captain, Richardson has also endured the scorn that descends after a Test pummelling against Australia. Additionally he has withstood personal trag Scoreboard AXA Equity Law League YORKSHIRE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Sheffield: Match abandoned, rain.

No result (2pts each). NORTHAMPTONSHIRE A Fordham Ibw Hartley 7 0 Capel Slomp Milburn 18 Curran Vaughan Milburn 4 Walton Sevan 39 Bailey not out 43 Sales not out 27 Extras (b2. Ib4. wt) 7 Total (tor 4, 31.4 overs) 145 Fall of wicket: 13, 18. 41, 67.

Did not bat: tFt Warren, A Mallonder, Snape, A Kumblo, Taylor. Bowling: Milburn 8-1-29-2: Hartley 6.4-0-29-1: Robinson 6-1-23-0: Stemp 3-0-19-0: White 6-0-32-0: Bevan 2-0-7-1. YORKSHIRE: 'D Byas, Vaughan. Bevan, White. Biakey.

A A Metcalle, Parkor. Hartley, Stemp, Milburn. A Robinson. Umplret: Jesty and A Whitehead. HAMPSHIRE SUSSEX Portimouth: Sussex won by eight runs.

SUSSEX Greenfield Nicholas James 11 Hall Jamos 8 Stephenson Aymos James 6 Lenham Maru Connor 39 A North Aymes Stephenson 32 Newell Nicholas James 37 tP Moores not out 34 Salisbury Connor 22 Jarvis not out 1 Extras (Ib5, w9. nb2) 16 Total (lor 7, 40 overs) 206 Fall of wickets: 16,26.34,91, 141. 152,202. Did not bat: Lewry, Giddins. Bowling: Connor 8-0-47-2; James S-O-35-t: Streak 8-0-35-0: Maru 8-O-27-0; Stephenson 8-0-56-1.

HAMPSHIRE Stephenson Moores Lewry 12 Morris Moores Stephenson 35 A Smith Lewry 2 Terry Moores Giddins 3 White Moores Giddins 3 Nicholas Stephenson 66 tA Aymes Lewry 19 Streak Salisbury Stephenson IB James not out 18 A Connor Groentiold Stephenson 2 Extras (Ibe.wtD 19 Tolal (lor 9. 40 overs) 198 Fall of wickets: 17, 45. 62. 66. 80.

129. 165, 196, 198. Did not bat: Maru. Bowling: Newell 4-0-21-0: Lewry 8-0-44-3: Giddins 8-1-35-2; Stephenson Salisbury 5-0-24-0; Jarvis 5-0-16-0; Greon-lield 2-0-13-0. Umpires: A Holder and Wight.

A junior to senior. What she lacks physically she can be exposed by a constant barrage to her backhand she compensates for with variety, especially in her use of a well-disguised drop-shot. Odd as it may seem in discussing so wafer-thin a player, Hingis has an intimidating presence, worth at least a point a game to her against a vast majority of opponents. It was noticeable, however, during the Hamburg final, that Conchita Martinez hardly spared her a second glance and won 6-0, 6-1. Majoli, who has reached the last 16 in the past two years, opens her challenge today against Japan's Mana Endo.

Hingis tomorrow faces Austria's Judith Wiesner, whom she beat in Hamburg. The defending champion Arantxa -Sanchez Vicario and Steffi Graf both play today, as do two leading men in Jim Courier twice a Paris winner and the top seed Andre Agassi. Thomas Muster hopes to extend his 28-match winning streak against the French qualifier Gerard Solves. Tomorrow Goran Ivanisevic, seeded No. 4, will face a talented qualifier in Mikael Till-strom, who last year took Pete Sampras to four sets in the fourth round.

In the absence of the new recruit Greg Rusedski with tonsillitis, Jeremy Bates, not for the first time, shoulders the British burden alone when he plays Guillaume Raoux, whom he beat twice last year, this afternoon. 9 A ball with less pressure will be used in next month's Wimbledon Championships in a further effort to defuse the power-merchants who, some suggest, have turned the Centre Court into a shooting-gallery for the past two finals, though Chris Gorringe, the All England Club's chief executive, said he expected to see only "a marginal TODAY'S ORDER OF PLAYi Centre Court: Tarango (US) Courier (US); I Gorrochatogui (Arg) Gral (Gor); A Agassi (US) Braasch (Gor); A Sanchez Vicario (Sp) Park (Kor). huge Bet-down meth, "I knew it was coming." They did well enough in the middle of the game when Kurt Samuels got hot, but when the Birmingham Bullet returned midway through the second half he was starved of opportunities. He still finished joint leading scorer with Steve Buck-nall on 16 points. England's big men struggled inside, their jump-shots, so important for opening up defences, were not falling and they gave the ball away too often.

But they qualified in second place ahead of Georgia. 0 Nr Pis 4 4 0 0 0 16 4 3 0 0 12 3 3 0 0 0 12 4 3 1 0 0 12 3 3 0 0 0 12 4 3 I 0 0 12 4 2 10 1 10 3 2 1 0 0 8 4 1 3 0 0 4 5 1 2 0 0 4 4 1 3 0 0 4 3 1 2 0 0 4 3 1 2 0 0 4 1 1 3 0 0 4 4 1 3 0 0 4 3 1 2 0 0 4 4 0 3 0 1 2 3 0 3 0 0 Lanes (4) Glam (7) Worcs (2) Kent (31 Surrey (6) Lelca(tO) Yorks (5) Esses (17) Durham (9) Notts (11) Warks (1) Derbys (8) Som(16) Sussex (15) Middx (14) Gloucs 1 16) Nortnts(13) Hants (121 1994 positions in parcnthesos.