Date-stamped : 26 Jun96 - 22:17 County Championship 1996 Leicestershire v Worcestershire Leicester 16,17,18,20 May 1996 ====> REPORT (Day 1, 16 May 1996) Leics records tumble By Peter Deeley Leics (481-4) v Worcs GRACE ROAD was awash with runs and records yesterday, as it has been since the season started. Worcestershire were swamped by the deluge which culminated in a maiden championship century from Af- tab Habib and a second of the summer from Leicestershire captain James Whitaker. Theirs is a record fifth-wicket partnership of 281 for the county and the fourth such milestone reached in all competitions for Leicestershire since the present campaign began. Worse for Wor- cestershire, they are still together and thirsting for more of the same. The day`s tally of 481 at well over 4.5 runs-an-over must be close to another high for Leicestershire. It is an indication of their batting strength that Habib, 24, was preferred for this game to Jonathan Dakin, who made a century against Durham two days earlier. In the fourth championship game of his career (one for Middlesex in 1992), Habib was dropped twice and also caught off a no-ball. Those errors apart, he batted with power and maturity, hitting 106 alone in fours and one six in his unbeaten 143. Whitaker, rejuvenated by his assumption of the captaincy, played a chanceless innings of great quality, adjourning on 145 after collecting 21 boundaries, as well as a five and a six. A batsman`s quality should always be measured by the strength of the opposition attack, however, and this is one of the most moderate Worcestershire bowling line-ups in many years. Phil Newport was absent with a recurrence of his back injury and the tenacity of Stuart Lampitt who, besides two wickets, almost held a fierce return catch from Habib, exonerates him from the general criticism. Otherwise, it is only humane to draw a veil over the remainder of the attack. The tempo for the day was set in Paul Thomas`s first six overs when he was twice deposited for six over the square-leg fence. The ball was twice hit out of the ground, Habib once blasting Richard Illingworth for six, appropriately to the rear door of the Cricketers pub. In all, Leicestershire`s batsmen hit 328 in boundaries (76 fours and four sixes). Darren Maddy scored a championship best 63 in the earlier ses- sions and in the final two hours Whitaker and Habib added 178. ====> REPORT (Day 2, 17 May 1996) Leics show quality gap By Peter Deeley Worcestershire (155 & 8-1) trail Leicestershire (638-8 dec) THIS topsy-turvy day reflected the quality gap between the sides. Leicestershire`s second highest total in their history was fol- lowed by inept visitors` batting matching the paucity of their bowling. Leicestershire captain James Whitaker called it one of the best batting pitches he has seen at Grace Road: yet the visitors lost 11 wickets in little over 3.5 hours. Aftab Habib went on to 215, a 6.25 hour innings with 32 boun- daries and two sixes. With Whitaker he added 320 for the fifth wicket, the fourth highest in the county`s history, contributing to Leicestershire`s highest score at Grace Road. Stuart Lampitt was unfit to bowl, and Worcestershire`s spirits were at a low ebb when the two recommenced. Tom Moody took the new ball and a united roar greeting Whitaker`s thin edge to Steve Rhodes reflected the relief. His 168, over nearly five hours, included 25 fours and a six. Habib was eventually run out soon after lunch going for a sharp single and Worcestershire, needing 489 to save the follow on, were bowled out inside 3.5 hours. It became a torture chamber within 19 overs as they slipped to 73 for five, David Millns and Allan Mullally demonstrating that suc- cess could be achieved by bending the back. Graeme Hick inexplicably drove Mullally loosely to mid-off and Tom Moody`s off stump was pegged back by Millns. ====> REPORT (Day 3, 18 May 1996) Moody trying to lighten the Worcester load By Peter Deeley Leicestershire (638-8 dec) beat Worcs (155 & 353) by an innings and 130 runs TOM MOODY has a mammoth task if he is to lift Worcestershire from the depths this summer. At 6ft 6.5in, he at least has the stature to keep his head above the waters of the Severn which, metaphori- cally, threaten to swamp the New Road side on present form. Yesterday Moody showed his captaincy qualities where it counts first, out in the middle, imposing his authority on a game where Leicestershire have walked all over their opponents, going to the top of the table after winning by an innings and 130 runs. On a pitch showing signs of variable bounce, Moody became the first Worcestershire batsman to dominate the Leicestershire at- tack and went on to reach his hundred with 14 off an over from Allan Mullally. He rallied his later batsmen by example, notably championship de- butant Reuben Spiring, 21, who made a half century in a partner- ship of 94 with Steve Rhodes for the seventh wicket. After two defeats and only seven points, Worcestershire are bot- tom of the table. Though premature to talk in terms of sending for the pall-bearers, they lack a strike bowler capable of turn- ing matters round. In Graeme Hick they have one of the game`s outstanding talents. He scored a double century against the Indians a week ago but here he already looked jaded (perhaps the aftermath of a long winter) and along with some of his colleagues seemed uninterested in the fight once Worcestershire had followed on 483 behind on Friday. Hick faced 16 balls. First time round after scoring one, he spooned a dolly catch to mid-off. Coming in again, he played 12 deliveries, scored four, then was lured into playing a lifting ball from David Millns to second slip. This double failure is hardly likely to affect Hick`s position in England`s team for the coming Texaco internationals but Wor- cestershire need maximum application from the player in their present plight. Every credit, however, to Millns who, when he gets his rhythm go- ing, is an exciting bowler to watch. Full praise too to Mullally who must be close to England selection despite his Antipodean past. He had the harder job of bowling up the Grace Road slope and the delivery with which he dismissed Moody was worthy of the highest marks. It dipped in the air and as the Australian went for yet another full-blooded cover drive, bit off the seam then took an inside edge and demolished the stumps. Moody hit 104 in his three-hour stay and shared a stand of 121 with Phil Weston, Worcestershire`s first in the game to pass 50. They came together when the team had quickly slumped to 36 for three at the outset of the day. Weston remained until the last ball before lunch when he pushed forward to Vince Wells only to lose his off stump. All now depended on Moody, but Mullally had other ideas. He was bit- ten by a spider in Australia in the winter: it seems to have made him more venomous. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by William.Turrell (william@*.chaucer.ac.uk)