Date-stamped : 29 Dec93 - 18:49 England v Board President's XI - Tour 3-day Match. Played at Lucknow. 8-10 Jan 93 ====> Day 1, 8 Jan 93 The Guardian 9 January 1993 - Lewis's fire ends Kambli blaze of glory - David Hopps in Lucknow Lucknow was long regarded as India's most romantic city until the love-crazed Nawabs of Oudh were ousted during British rule. More than a century has passed, and the reputation has faded, but yesterday English cricket re-enacted its favourite love affair of all: the imagined birth of a new fast bowler. As late-afternoon mist clung to the river Gomati, shimmering in charcoal on a still winter's day, Lucknow seemed once more to be whispering sweet nothings. Believe if you dare, it invited, that yesterday Chris Lewis came of age. It is more likely that Lucknow's blessings were really reserved for Vinod Kambli. It was he who had set Indian hearts a-flutter by ravaging the England attack with a daring feat of strokeplay that had brought him an unbeaten 61 from only 65 deliveries. But even Indian love stories do not automatically have happy endings. Kambli was forced to retire hurt, struck in the forearm as he failed to duck underneath a Lewis bouncer that hardly rose above stump high. As he rolled around the crease in agony, a crowd of 20,000 that had been lifted to feverish excitement fell into mourning. The consolation was that, although a broken arm looked certain, medical opinion was that Kambli had only suffered severe bruis- ing. The arm has been put in a lightweight cast for six days, which makes it touch and go whether he will recover fitness be- fore next weekend's first one-day international in Ahmedabad, but he should surely be named in the squad on Tuesday and given every opportunity. When Ajay Sharma, another young contender for India's one-day side, was also crocked by Lewis's next ball - retiring hurt with a battered finger as he fended off a face-high delivery - the England bowler was immediately deemed to be bowling like the wind. ''He was fast,'' exclaimed Kambli. ''He was fast,'' agreed Keith Fletcher. Briefly, he was - but if Fletcher converts Lewis into a bowler of persistent hostility, he will have achieved something which was beyond his predecessor as England team manager, Micky Stewart. Lewis, who had removed Bhave with his first ball, had finished with one for 35 off 11 overs. There was, though, a shift in em- phasis. Lewis often prefers to coast through warm-up matches, not setting his body excessive tasks so much as giving it an all-over massage. The Nottinghamshire bowler was probably stirred by the disrespectful nature of Kambli's strokeplay as he unleashed cover and straight drives off the front foot at will. He plays away from his body at times, but in this mood it hardly mattered. He was spotted playing defensively no more than twice. DeFreitas, in his first bowl of the tour, was immediately re- pelled. Taylor, struggling to find his line, can be thankful that he bowled his six expensive overs elsewhere. Kambli is an inseparable mate of the Indian prodigy Sachin Ten- dulkar, and he might not be over-shadowed much longer. The pair put on a world-record stand of 664 for the first wicket in schools cricket in Bombay, and shared digs in Yorkshire last sum- mer when Kambli was the professional for the Bradford League club Spen Victoria. Another startling assault came from Sidhu, who emerged from strokeless beginnings to launch Emburey for four sixes over long on in as many overs. Kambli chipped in once himself, so when Em- burey had Sidhu caught at short leg he had conceded 33 runs - 30 of them in sixes - in his first 25 balls. He recovered his poise by the close, although his recent conver- sion to additional flight no longer looked an urgent priority. Apart from a Nehru Cup match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Lucknow has not staged an international fixture since a Test against Pakistan in 1952, when India were beaten by an innings and their bus was stoned on leaving the ground by disgruntled supporters. The Indian captain, Lal Armanath, strode on to the street to threaten all comers with a piece of bamboo fencing. Considering that India is held to be in some turmoil, the crowd's good-natured response to the injuries inflicted by Lewis is worth remarking upon. Only the umpires soured the occasion, removing 34 overs with the unconvincing excuses of early-morning dew and bad light. When they came off for the last time, England's spinners were in tandem and the only danger to the batsmen was from a passing meteorite. Half an hour later, with the crowd long departed, the President's XI batsmen wandered out for a net. The fact that Test places were at stake, particularly for Ajay, who had just resumed his innings, is an irrelevance. Is there anywhere in the world still willing to treat the paying customer with respect? ====> Day 3, 10 Jan 93 The Guardian 11 January 1993 - Gatting thrives on a diet of spin - David Hopps in Lucknow. Mike Gatting is already tucking into the Indian spinners with the enthusiasm he generally reserves for a plate of cheese and pickle sandwiches. The same appetite for slow bowling has yet to be seen from most of his colleagues, who are still nibbling away at every ball popped in front of them with the queasiest of constitutions. Gatting's first England century since he staved off defeat against Pakistan at The Oval in 1987 was a bustling masterpiece, made even more impressive by his willingness to answer England's temporary requirement for an opening batsman. It should not be- come a habit. Risking Gatting against the new ball when he is the one Englishman who looks confident of destroying any Indian spinner is not a convincing long-term policy. Stewart, sensibly, remains the most likely opening partner for Gooch in the one-day series. Gatting survived unscathed against the quicks and blossomed against the spinners to reach Saturday evening unbeaten on 85. In a further 75 minutes yesterday he advanced to 115 before being bowled around his legs by Maninder. His opening partnership of 131 with Gooch had been a perfectly constructed stand between two senior batsmen who calmly assessed the situation and wrested the initiative without wasting a single calorie. What followed yesterday, nightwatchman DeFreitas's stout knock apart, had less to recommend it. ''We batted better than the previous match,'' said Gooch, which, as five middle-order batsmen contributed 19 runs between them, did not say much. In all, five perished to the sweep. Gatting was followed by Fairbrother, the edgy sweep, Lewis, the muscular sweep, and Em- burey, the sweep that defies description. Eighteen of the 23 En- glish wickets to fall on this tour have gone to the slow bowlers. It is difficult to calculate who will gain most benefit. The off-spinner Chouhan is least likely to displace either man in possession - Raju and Kumble. Maninder and the loopy legspinner Hirwani had their dangerous moments, although their confidence can be fragile. The President's XI, trailing by 84 on first innings, comfortably saved the match, finishing on 107 for one after Gooch persuaded his rival captain Maninder to play out the entire 42 overs remaining in order to give the England bowlers maximum practice. The news of England's spinners is mixed. Tufnell, who is fast rediscovering his flight, bowled much better here. Emburey has spent an extraordinary amount of time gazing skywards. Sidhu, who propelled him for four of the five sixes he conceded on the first day, launched him for four more in quick succession yesterday. All were deposited over the distant horizon at long-on. Among one or two close fielders could be traced the merest hint of a smile. Meanwhile Salisbury keeps pitching leg and hitting off in the nets. Must he really leave before too long to join the A tour in Australia? Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)