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CC1: Days of the Underdogs

Sunday, May 9 2004

Canterbury: Kent v Gloucestershire
Seamers dominate as Gloucs hold sway

Gloucestershire's three-man seam attack of Jon Lewis (5-46), Shabbir Ahmed (3-34) and James Averis (2-39) put the Kent batting line-up to the sword, as only Andrew Symonds (33) and Matt Walker (21) showed any real resistance.

David Fulton and Rob Key added 26 for the first wicket before Kent fell to 42-3 and 89-6 before Walker and James Tredwell added 35. However the loss of Walker preciptated a collpase of the last four wickets for five runs and 129 all out.

Gloucester also struggled in reply, as England discard Martin Saggers took 3-30 to reduce the visitors to 77-5 despite a brisk 42 from Craig Spearman, before skipper Chris Taylor (32*) and Stephen Adshead (15*) added an unbroken 50.

Kent 129
A Symonds 33, J Lewis 5-46
Gloucestershire 127-5
CM Spearman 42, MJ Saggers 3-30

Lord's: Middlesex v Lancashire
Strauss follows Keegan's lead

Championship Favourites Lancashire are resolutely on the back foot at HQ after Chad Keegan's 5-36 rocked their first innings effort. The visitors have Mal Loye (101) to thank for first-innings respectability, with only three others passing 30 and six single figure scores in a late order collapse from 193-4 to 236.

The rejuvenated Dominic Cork then struck twice early to reduce the hosts to 10-2, but consolidation through Owais Shah and Ed Joyce followed before England's new man Andrew Strauss joined the fray at the loss of the third wicket. He ended the day on 92*, having added 133 for the fifth wicket with Paul Weekes (50), in the process of overhauling the Lancashire total.

Lancashire 236
MB Loye 101, CB Keegan 5-36
Middlesex 257-5
AJ Strauss 92*, DG Cork 3-77

Northampton: Northamptonshire v Sussex
Afzaal and Phillips punish Champions

Usman Afzaal is four runs short of a career-best on 157* overnight after he and Ben Phillips added 136 for the eighth wicket at the County Ground. After Jason Lewry (3-78) had made early inroads, Mark Davis (3-34) took the heart out of the middle order to leave Northants rocking on 186-7.

However, Phillips and Afzaal took the game out of Sussex's hands at a steady rate, before Lewry finally removed the ex-Kent all-rounder for 73. Afzaal then added 60 for the ninth wicket with Steffan Jones (12), and will hope that last man Jason Brown lasts long enough for him to set a new personal milestone - and secure maximum batting points.

Northamptonshire 387-9
U Afzaal 157*, MJG Davis 3-34

Posted by Neil