Date-stamped : 29 May95 - 14:26
SUNLG: Essex v Middlesex, Chelmsford, 28 May 1995

Gooch seals battle of old war-horses - Peter Deeley

Essex (178-6) beat Middlesex (176-9) by two runs

OVER the years many clashes between these  two  rivals  have  re-
volved  around  those  two  old war-horses, Graham Gooch and Mike
Gatting, though Ronnie Irani challenged them for top billing with
three for 32 to follow on his one-man rescue act for Essex on Sa-
turday.

Gooch hit 50 off 36 balls yesterday to rescue Essex from  a  mid-
innings slump and is now within 16 runs of a momentous landmark -
the first batsman to score 8,000 Sunday  League runs  (Well,   it
beats  those  Sabbath  rituals  of washing the car or cutting the
lawn).

Gatting, in his less familiar guise of bowler, was "on all fours"
- four for 44, only marginally more runs conceded than his previ-
ous Sunday best.

Then, as batsman, he was Middlesex top scorer with 46  but  could
not  prevent  his side going down to their third Sunday defeat of
the season, Toby Radford failing to score the three runs   needed
off the last ball.

Gooch came to the crease at 99 for two after Essex, put  in,  had
made  a  solid  start with Paul Prichard scoring his second half-
century in 24 hours, his 54 coming off 93 balls.

Prichard was twice put down by Gatting, the fielder,  before  the
Middlesex captain, as bowler, had a third bite and this time took
a scorching return catch down around his ankles.

With rain reducing the match in mid-spate by three overs, Gatting
did  not  again risk Dion Nash, who had bowled so steadily in his
first spell, and Gooch set about the rest of the  Middlesex   at-
tack.

He took 15 from the penultimate over from  Richard  Johnson,  in-
cluding one six, and reached his half-century.

But in the final over, Gatting had his revenge  -  and  a  double
bowling  success which clearly delighted him. Gooch was caught at
mid-off and the last ball of the innings accounted for   Jonathan
Lewis.

Steve Andrew began with a burst of seven wides in his opening two
overs,  which  suggested Middlesex would win on extras alone, and
then Paul Farbrace hit him for two splendid sixes in his   second
spell.

Mark Feltham collected four boundaries in a first-  wicket  stand
with  Jason  Pooley, which put on 43 in nine overs, but Middlesex
were checked by some splendid bowling by Irani, and the  needless
run-out of Paul Weekes did not enhance their chances.

With good support from Farbrace, who scored 26 in a  sixth-wicket
partnership  of 47, Gatting - who is 38 next week - sought to ex-
ert his customary authority.

But Middlesex were faced with the stiff task of scoring 103  runs
off their last 17 overs.

Not surprisingly, Gatting decided to resort to  the  long  handle
but he perished in the 36th over - skying Andrew to Prichard.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)
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