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Hodge hands Derbyshire a lesson

Friday, June 4 2004

Leicestershire v Derbyshire, Oakham School
Hodge the master at Oakham School

The Oakham School Ground, an occasional Leicestershire venue before the Second World War but seldom used by the big boys since, witnessed Brad Hodge doing what he does so well - tormenting local rivals Derbyshire.

Leicestershire won the toss, elected to bat and made a flying start as Maunders and Robinson took the home side on to 91 before Maunders went for 28, caught behind off Kevin Dean. Either side of the lunch interval Derbyshire threatened to peg Leicestershire back as Ant Botha removed Robinson for 64, then when Maddy was needlessly run out for a single, the innings was delicately balanced at 135-3.

At this point, Hodge simply took over, quietly at first in conjunction with John Sadler, the pair adding 95 in a little under two hours before Sadler (41) became Botha's second victim, and later in more destructive mode to swing the pendulum firmly in the direction of the locals.

Hodge ended the day undefeated on 189, an innings which has so far included no less than 28 boundaries and 4 maximums. The unbroken fifth-wicket partnership had realised 153 runs, of which Nixon's share was 32, as Leicestershire ended on 383-4.

Leicestershire 383-4
Hodge 189*, Robinson 64

Essex v Yorkshire, Chelmsford
Six of the best for Kaneria

Darren Gough took just three balls to remind the old county that he is far from a spent force in the game as The Dazzler had Matthew Wood caught behind for a duck. It was to be quite some time before Essex had anything else to celebrate.

Anthony McGrath joined Phil Jaques at the wicket and the pair added a mighty 207 for the second wicket in the next three hours with Jaques contributing a sparkling 115, an innings which included 3 sixes and 11 boundaries before he fell to James Middlebrook mid-way through the afternoon session.

Lehmann came and went, blasting a quick-fire 27 before he became the first of half a dozen victims for Danish Kaneria who whirled away for almost 34 overs. After McGrath departed for a grafter's 93, only Richard Dawson was able to offer Michael Lumb any more than token support as the all-too-familiar Yorkshire collapse gained momentum.

Eventually, Kaneria ran through the visitors' resistance as Yorkshire slumped to 363, far, far fewer than they would have envisaged when they were 207-1.

Steven Kirby grabbed the wicket of Alastair Cook for a duck in his second over when Essex faced the tricky hour before the close, but Will Jefferson and Andy Flower saw them safely through to stumps with no further loss.

Yorkshire 363
Jaques 115, McGrath 93, Kaneria 6-121
Essex 41-1
Jefferson 30*, Flower 7*

Glamorgan v Somerset, Swansea
Harrison, Croft rout Somerset. There's lovely.

In an age when cricketers tend to list as many nationalities as runs scored in a season, it is refreshing to see two local lads, unencumbered with flags of convenience, leading the Welsh into a very strong position at the end of the first day against one of the few sides, by any stretch of the imagination they could consider to be local rivals.

Harrison struck early, nipping out Neil Edwards for 4, and when Aussie Mark Kasprowicz trapped veteran Peter Bowler in front a few moments later, the writing was clearly on the wall. When Harrison sent Cox packing, Somerset were 16-3 and in dire straits.

James Hildreth (61) and Ian Blackwell (64) added more than a little belligerence to the Somerset middle order, both sending the scoreboard whizzing at a rate of knots, but the return of Harrison and the introduction of Robert Croft accounted for both.

Only Keith Dutch of the remainder of the Somerset side made any significant contribution with 31, and when Kasprowicz removed Nixon McLean, Somerset had made a less-than-competitive 229.

The second half of the day saw Glamorgan take total control of affairs. Mark Wallace (22) and Matthew Elliott gave the home side a solid if unspectacular start, adding 53 for the first wicket, before Elliott flicked the switch and gave the Somerset attack, strong on paper but threadbare in recent days, the runaround.

Elliott struck 13 boundaries and 4 sixes in his unbeaten 129, adding the small matter of 127 in partnership with David Hemp before the close. With nine wickets in hand and a mere 49 in arrears, it threatens to be another busy day for the Somerset fielders unless Messrs Caddick, Johnson and McLean find something - and quickly.

Somerset 229
Blackwell 64, Hildreth 61, Harrison 5-48, Croft 3-44
Glamorgam 180-1
Elliott 129*, Hemp 26*

Hampshire v Nottinghamshire, Southampton
Hampshire say 'no Franks' to Logan's run

A solid performance by Nottinghamshire's pacemen and assorted trundlers had the home side in all sorts of trouble throughout the day which saw Hampshire win the toss, bat and spend the rest of the day regretting the decision.

No less than eight home batsmen made starts but only Shaun Udal making it to beyond thirty - and then only just. Hampshire struggled to come to terms with any of the seamers as Nottinghamshire didn't even feel the need to use spinner Stuart MacGill.

Partnerships tend to be the key to large totals, and the largest Hampshire could muster was a mere 38 - and that was for the ninth wicket! In the end, Hampshire struggled to 199 with Logan picking up four wickets and Franks three.

When Nottinghamshire came out to bat, it looked as though the innings would follow a similar pattern. Chris Tremlett sent back Jason Gallian and Russell Warren in the first half hour, but then Darren Bicknell and Kevin Pietersen swung the game toward the visitors with a partnership worth 99 before Bicknell went for 54, leg before to Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Shaun Udal continued to home fightback by bagging the dangerous Pietersen for 49, then when he clean bowled Chris Read for just 5, the visitors had slumped to 136-5, still more than 60 in arrears.

In David Hussey and Mark Ealham though, Nottinghamshire have two men who have seen it all before. Together, they set about reducing the deficit quietly and sensibly and come the close, they had chipped away to 185-5.

Hampshire 199
Logan 4-53, Franks 3-43
Nottinghamshire 185-5
Bicknell 54, Hussey 27*, Ealham 25*



Posted by Eddie