Date-stamped : 06 Jul97 - 10:17 Lancashire lay basis of second victory By D J Rutnagur at Uxbridge First day of four: Lancs (126-0) lead Middlesex (118) by 8 runs LANCASHIRE waited 11 matches, dating back to last season, for a championship win, which they secured at Worcester. Their spir- its palpably leavened by this long overdue triumph and favoured also by luck with the toss, they laid the basis of another possible victory, against the proud leaders. From the fifth over of the day, in which Peter Martin claimed the first wicket of his career-best haul of eight for 32, to the last before bad light ended play, Lancashire steadily tightened their grip. Their satisfaction at a job well done will be the greater for the contribution of a young apprentice, Nathan Wood, who was unde- feated with a polished 67. Without question, the toss set the pattern of play. The pitch was at its dampest on a spinner`s length, which prompted Lan- cashire to include both the Garys, Keedy and Yates, and leave out Glen Chapple. As it transpired, their services were barely needed. By the time Keedy had licked his spinning finger for the 19th over, Martin and Ian Austin had reduced Middlesex to 42 for sev- en. They only progressed to a total of just 118, the lowest first class score on this ground. The ball both swung and moved off the seam. The manner in which the first Lancashire success was achieved was a hint that it was going to be their day. Paul Weekes clipped Martin firmly, but uppishly, off his legs and Wood, at short leg, trapped the ball against his throat. The umpires conferred to ensure that the ball had not touched the grille of the catcher`s helmet. Until Owais Shah, playing his first championship innings of the season, and James Hewitt settled in to stage an invaluable partnership of 54 for the eighth wicket, there was barely a pause in the procession of batsmen coming in and retreating, all of them caught in the slips or by Warren Hegg, the wicketkeeper. Mike Gatting`s, however, was not a regulation slip catch. He was defeated by a ball that cut back some way, took the in- side edge and was deflected to slip by his pad. Jacques Kallis was resolute for an hour, during which he lost five partners, but eventually he too edged a catch. Shah`s innings of 32, lasting 87 minutes, was notable not only for the quality of his batsmanship, but for his calm and maturity in countering a dire situation. The prospect of running out of partners urged him to take the attack to the bowlers, but once he saw Hewitt put up a fight, he settled down. Steve Titchard and Wood certainly suffered no discomfort as they put Lancashire ahead. Left-handed Wood batted with polish and flair to reach his maiden fifty. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Lancashire grind out big advantage By D J Rutnagur at Uxbridge Second day of four: Lancashire (309-4) lead Middlesex (118) by 191 runs AFTER Peter Martin`s swift annihilation of Middlesex on the opening day, Lancashire had time on their side and they used it with circumspection to build up a position of consider- able strength. Their advantage would have been even more exten- sive had overnight rain, two more interruptions later in the day and bad light at the end not lopped off a total of 37 overs. There were no partnerships of daunting proportions after the breach of the overnight stand for the first wicket between Stephen Titchard and Nathan Wood within two overs of the start. But, with surrogate captain Neil Fairbrother, 82 not out, assum- ing the unfamiliar role of anchor, they steadily gained ground. During a heavy downpour in the night, water had run down the slope from the Town end and made its way under the covers, leaving the bowlers` approach and the fringe of the pitch soggy and slith- ery. Thus the start was held up for 75 minutes. For all the damp, the Middlesex bowlers could find no help and it was Phil Tufnell, aided in at least two instances by daring on the part of his victims, who took the first three wickets. Sur- vival on the slow pitch presented no problems but its varying pace and bounce left little room for free strokeplay. Wood, without adding to his overnight score, tried to drive Tufnell through mid-wicket and edged the ball on to his pad, from where it ricocheted to Mike Gatting at short-leg. Titchard, dour but solid in making 79 off 263 balls, and Fair- brother, added 67 in 30 overs before rain stopped play for 40 minutes. With only the second ball after the resumption, Tufnell had Titchard, propping forward, caught at silly point. Graham Lloyd gave no- tice of an impending assault by driving the second ball he received for a straight six but, attempting another ex- travagant blow, this time to mid-wicket, was bowled off his pads. Lancashire again made for the trenches and the crowd, chilled by a strong wind, had to suffer further tedium while Fairbrother and Andrew Flintoff ground out 29 runs from 16 overs before the new ball was taken. It earned an immediate breakthrough, with An- gus Fraser nipping one back to claim Flintoff leg before. Fraser`s joy was short-lived, for Ian Austin launched into him with some beefy blows. Square-cut for two fours, Fraser pitched one up to the burly left-hander and was fiercely driven straight. This, the most enjoyable interlude of the day, was end- ed by the gloom cast by a nasty black cloud. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Lancashire turn screw By D J Rutnagur at Uxbridge Third day of four: Middlesex (118 & 198-6) trail Lancashire (417-9 dec) by 101 runs LANCASHIRE performed at a level which belied their lowly posi- tion in the table for the third day running, while Middlesex, at least where their bowling was concerned, did not look the part of champi- onship contenders and are in danger of defeat. Although comfortably in front at the start of the day, Lan- cashire, under no pressure from the clock and reassured also by the prospect of improved weather, continued to bat with the care and disci- pline demanded by a slow, two-paced pitch. Neil Fairbrother, after five hours at the crease and 209 balls, was only three short of a century when, playing defen- sively for- ward to James Hewitt, he was caught and bowled off bat and pad. Ian Austin`s belligerence was concentrated on An- gus Fraser, but it was from a sweep at Phil Tufnell that he was caught at long leg. The features of Middlesex`s fielding were two thrilling catch- es by Mike Gatting, the first taken at slip with a leap and the sec- ond, taken on the run and one-handed, at mid-on. Tufnell took his first bag of five for the season but was discomfited by a painful neck. Middlesex were fortunate that Peter Martin could not reproduce his hostility of the first innings and that a sore shoulder kept Austin out of the attack. Paul Weekes and Jacques Kallis, who made 62, gave them an encouraging start, but they declined to 166 for five. Keith Brown, with Owais Shah in support, denied Lancashire further ground until three overs from the end, when Martin induced a snick. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Middlesex are mauled by Martin By Paul Weaver at Uxbridge Lancashire beat Middx by an innings and 54 runs LANCASHIRE, who for the first two months of the season ap- peared single-mindedly determined to add the championship`s wooden spoon to their swollen trophy cabinet, won their second match in suc- cession at Uxbridge yesterday and, with Sussex next, they could soon be in mid-table. They took just 63 minutes and 15.2 overs to complete victory over Middlesex by an innings and 54 runs as Peter Martin complet- ed the best bowling figures of the season: 13 for 79. This is also the best match analysis of Martin`s career. Just over a year ago he was deeply upset after being summarily dropped from the England team after playing a single Test against India follow- ing his tour of South Africa. He is a talented artist and if he had been talked into self-portraiture he would have produced something looking more miserable than a gen- uine Van Gogh. He now feels that he has fallen from fourth to about 20th in the pecking order of England seamers, which is perhaps taking mod- esty a little too far. But in the context of his unfashionability his performance at Uxbridge was one of vigour and great charac- ter. Lancashire, man for man, have one of the strongest sides in the country. They are a side of strong players but even stronger personalities which makes them difficult to captain. Their success against Middlesex was achieved by a number of younger players, because of injury. Mike Watkinson, who is a popular and respected cap- tain, has done well, all things considered, but Lancashire`s recent suc- cess has been a bit embarrassing for him because he has been among the injured and has not played. Lancashire were captained by Mike Atherton in their first win of the season, over Worcestershire, and Neil Fairbrother has been in charge at Uxbridge. Middlesex, meanwhile, appear determined to add to the conundrum of this championship season. They went into this match as championship leaders and were heavily beaten. The previous day Essex, who were second, went down by 10 wickets to Somerset. Uxbridge has been good for Middlesex since they started play- ing there in 1980. They have won 13 and lost just four of their 32 matches there. But of the last 11 they have won just twice. Yesterday Lancashire became the first county to win there twice. Middlesex resumed yesterday on 198 for six. They had added just 12 runs when, in the seventh over of the morning, Owais Shah, at- tempting to drive Gary Yates over long-on, was bowled. Then three overs later Richard Johnson was well caught by the diving Fairbrother at first slip after Graham Lloyd, at second, had knocked the ball up. Martin (five for 47) wrapped the match up as Mid- dlesex were bowled out for 237 and Yates finished with four for 89. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)