Each was leg before wicket, which may suggest a case of Ali shuffle for Worcestershire’s coaches to correct.. While the Australian tourists were acclimatising in the first tour match, one of the unsung members of the “alternative” Ashes party was busy proving yet again the depth of batting talent available Down Under. While the Australian tourists were acclimatising in the first tour match, one of the unsung members of the “alternative” Ashes party was busy proving yet again the depth of batting talent available Down Under, and providing Durham with an impressive first win of the season in the Second Division of the County Championship.
Martin Love, who replaced Simon Katich at the Riverside, was unveiled on 1 May as one of two new names among the 25 players contracted to the Australian Cricket Board after helping Queensland to win the Pura Cup Final against Victoria in March. He averaged 75.81 for the season back home but had yet to record a century for his latest employers.Durham resumed on 16 without loss, needing 299 to beat Nottinghamshire at Chester- le-Street, and lost Michael Gough for 16, caught by Usman Afzaal off Paul Franks, with the total on 55. Love joined Jonathan Lewis and they put on a record second-wicket stand for the county, 258, eclipsing the 209 added by another Aussie, Dean Jones, and Wayne Larkins against Glamorgan at Cardiff in the county’s first season in first-class cricket in 1992.By the time they were separated, with Lewis having been bowled by Afzaal for 112 off 227 balls with 14 boundaries, only two runs were required to complete an excellent victory on 318 for 2. Love remained unbeaten on 149 off 232 balls with 25 fours and Durham’s current hero, Paul Collingwood, was not required to score a run.Unfancied Durham seem to like playing Nottinghamshire, having also defeated them in the last two meetings in 1998-99.

However, Katich, who was called up for the Ashes party, necessitating a change in overseas player, was the only batsman to have averaged more than 30 last season. Lewis, who has just passed his 31st birthday and was appointed captain last September, will be looking to capitalise on the fine form of Collingwood, who has received an international call-up for the NatWest Triangular Series, and others like Jimmy Daley.In the Second Division clash at Edgbaston, Warwickshire were handily placed on 186 for 2, though still 174 runs adrift of Gloucestershire’s first-innings total with two days remaining. Michael Powell, who was also appointed captain, somewhat surprisingly, this season, duly completed his century. It was his first of the season, and he went on to 133 off 276 balls with 17 fours and three sixes.Powell was supported by Dominic Ostler, who added a further 92 to his 134 not out against the same opposition in the Norwich Union League on Wednesday. Although wickets fell regularly thereafter, by tea they had reached 339 for 6..

The Manchester Test match is safe. Despite reduced attendances and a shabby look to parts of the ground, there is no question of Old Trafford not staging a game in one of the two series in 2001. The arena has missed matches in two recent summers (1991 and 1996), but with seven Tests now being played each season it would be humiliating for a venue which has held 67 Tests since 1884 (the second oldest in England, fourth in the world) to be left off the list now

The Manchester Test match is safe. Despite reduced attendances and a shabby look to parts of the ground, there is no question of Old Trafford not staging a game in one of the two series in 2001. The arena has missed matches in two recent summers (1991 and 1996), but with seven Tests now being played each season it would be humiliating for a venue which has held 67 Tests since 1884 (the second oldest in England, fourth in the world) to be left off the list now.
It is bad news, particularly, for the Riverside at Chester-le-Street, which looks in better shape and would be sure to attract more supporters, if only because of the novelty value. But as Tim Lamb, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said, it would be impossible to take a game away from a traditional venue without a full inquest.This will be music to the ears of Old Trafford officials, whose hearts have not exactly been filled with joy recently at mention of the ECB.

But there are undoubtedly problems there as well as a prickly mood. On the second morning of the Second Test there was an announcement about the previous day’s attendance. It had not been 7,931 as rather precisely counted, but 8,500. To which the automatic response was: “Well, big deal.” The difference seemed to be insubstantial.Whatever the figure, it was simply not enough. These are great days for English cricket and the present game has been thrilling, yet sometimes on the first two days the atmosphere has been sepulchral At least Test fever gripped them yesterday.

The chilly wind has hardly helped, but the thought occurs that maybe this is the effect the ground has on people Attendances have been gradually slipping Hence, the reason to deprive it of an Ashes Test this year. Considering it has one of the slickest marketing departments around it is a trifle baffling. Surely, the city and the county of Lancashire beyond it cannot be entirely in thrall to the other Old Trafford.”There is certainly no rush to panic stations,” said the ECB’s marketing manager, Stuart Robertson. “The rest of the year is going really well and is easily up to projections, and we knew Old Trafford would be difficult this year.” Nobody should blame ticket prices. They are cheaper in Manchester ­ between £15 and £28 ­ than anywhere else and to reduce them further would devalue a sound product.