Date-stamped : 02 May96 - 14:15 Batsmen to profit from score draw By Christopher Martin-Jenkins PEOPLE - the quality of the players and their attitude - will make or break cricket matches in the end but the business of ad- ministering the game, personalities apart, is a constant battle to find the right balance between batsmen and bowlers. To that end there are three significant changes to the regulations for this year`s Britannic Assurance County Championship, starting today in uncertain weather with eight games from Chester- le-Street in the North East to Taunton in the South West. There will be six fewer overs a day, a minimum of 104 rather than 110, and in addition to the 16 points for a win and the eight possible bonus points awarded in the first innings, three points can be earned for a draw this year, a welcome at- tempt to encourage batsmen to sell their wickets more dearly when all prospect of victory has gone. The Test and County Cricket Board have also restored the traditional right of captains to call for a heavy roller in the hope of calming down a lively pitch. "Pitches are still our major concern," says Tim Lamb, cricket secretary of the board and one of those on the short list to succeed A. C. Smith at the helm of the domestic game. "The quest is for firm, true pitches which have some pace and turn in the later stages, if we are to make the most of four-day crick- et." If present plans come to fruition, more than 70 per cent of next season`s County Championship matches will start on Wednesdays. This year`s programme of 17 matches per county will therefore be watched closely by those who fear that too many games will finish in three days. The thinking of David Acfield`s cricket committee, a trifle naive pehaps when counties scent championship prize-money (considerably increased this year to #65,000 for the winners and down to #9,000 for the county coming fifth) was that counties would want to pre- pare pitches guaranteed to last until Saturdays. Last year`s statistics are not encouraging. The average match finished in under 330 overs - the stipulated minimum for three days. Against the danger of early finishes has to be balanced the "positive" fact that only 29 of last year`s 150 matches ended in draws. There will, as a result of the new three-point rule, inevit- ably be occasional games which become dull and attritional, but it is a competitive, hard-fought championship along the lines of the Australian Sheffield Shield that is sought in the hope that our Test team will be properly prepared, so no-one should quibble at that. The defending champions, Warwickshire, who are the hardest team of the lot without question, have no game in this first round, but Middlesex, who pushed them all the way, start their campaign at home to Gloucestershire. Without John Em- burey there will be much interest in Phil Tufnell`s performance as the senior spinner. Northamptonshire, now under Emburey`s guidance, as coach and occasional player, may restore the wicketkeeping gloves to David Ripley against Durham today, allowing the gifted Russell Warren to go back to being a specialist batsman. The early retirement of Allan Lamb gives Mal Loye the chance to re-establish himself, one he is quite capable of taking. The occasional vagaries of the immature square at the Riverside ground were one of the reasons for captains requesting the right to call for a heavy roller. Durham include in their 12 their 19-year-old all-rounder Paul Collingwood and Michael Foster, 23, in the absence of John Wood, who expects to be fit next week and Sherwin Campbell, who will be on his way immediately after the end of the Test in An- tigua. The occasional vagaries of the immature square at the Riverside ground were one of the reasons for captains requesting the right to call for a heavy roller. There should be little wrong with the square at Trent Bridge, even after the retirement of Ron Allsopp, so Sussex may play both Ian Salisbury and the more experienced of their two young off-spinners, Nicky Phillips, against Nottinghamshire. Jamie Hall, not selected for the B & H, will open the batting with Bill Athey, allowing Martin Speight to build an innings in more orthodox fashion in this important rehabilitative season for both men. Lancashire, fourth last year, had a long journey to Canter- bury after yesterday`s rain at Chesterfield, but they will hope to make a good start against Kent, who will be without their luckless captain, Mark Benson, for another fortnight. The ill wind blows more kindly for David Fulton, who will open with Trevor Ward, and both the Kent openers will hope to impress Mike Atherton. Graham Kersey takes back the gloves from Alec Stwart in a Surrey side who will be keen to follow up their splendid start, against Somerset at Taunton. The form of Stewart and Al- istair Brown will be one of the first things the England selec- tors study, but Surrey`s bowling is below potential because of injuries to Joey Benjamin and Alex Tudor. Worcestershire, by contrast, have Phil Newport back in action after a back injury. Season-in, season-out, he is among the best swing bowlers in the country and will no doubt be helped by the recruitment of the promising Alam- gir Sheriyar from Leicester, who will share the new ball against Essex. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http.//www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by Shash (shs2@*.cwru.edu)