Date-stamped : 29 Jan97 - 10:14 27 January 1997 Mother Knitted While Son Closed On Maiden Test Century Pauline Fleming nervously knitted "faster and faster" while watching television in Christchurch as son Stephen closed in on his maiden test century against England at Eden Park. Mrs Fleming said she was probably more apprehensive about Stephen`s innings than he was, given the composure and control he displayed throughout, especially moving through the 90s to the three-figure mark, which has escaped him in his last 38 innings. "Just watching him he seemed very focused and controlled and I was delighted for him," she said yesterday. While Stephen, 23, admitted to relief at achieving the elusive mark, his mother wondered if his large band of supporters were even more thrilled. Congratulatory calls to Mrs Fleming`s Sydenham home came from a variety of well-wishers, including Canterbury coach Denis Aberhart and former age-group mentor Bob Carter, now Wellington coach. "Others might have felt more hassled than he.. He figured if he was scoring 70s and 80s quite consistently (Stephen has made 10 half-centuries previously), then it was probably better than mak- ing 100 one innings and a duck the next." Mrs Fleming resisted any temptation to fly to Auckland on Satur- day morning when Stephen resumed on 58, preferring instead to "save my pennies" for New Zealand`s Australian tour later this year. She spoke to him during the lunch break after he reached the milestone from 199 balls with 15 fours and a six. "I said: `can we squeeze a few more runs out of you` and he said 129, with hardly a false shot from six hours at the crease. Mrs Fleming has been an avid supporter of Stephen`s burgeoning career, which began as a boy going to Lancaster Park to watch the game. Now his batmanship is holding centre stage. Many years of washing whites and trooping around age-group tour- naments throughout the South Island were never the drag they may seem, Mrs Fleming said. "I`ve loved going to the tournaments at places like Nelson and Alexandra in the campervan." Mrs Fleming believes that after breaking the century barrier, many more runs should flow from Stephen`s elegant bat and she also feels the team is on the right track. "Whoever is talking in their ear, like Steve Rixon or Martin Crowe, seems to be getting them in the right frame of mind." Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)