Date-stamped : 06 Aug95 - 22:26 Tour Match: Leicestershire v Young Australia Leicester, 3, 4 August 1995 ====> Day 1, 3 Aug 95 Whitaker makes Australians pay - Norman Harris First day of four: Leics (196-3) trail Young Australians (220) by 24 runs SURPRISINGLY, it did not need sponsorship or prize-money incen- tives to persuade a home side of almost full strength to meet the tourists. And they performed with zest to give the visitors easi- ly their worst day so far. Perhaps some of the credit should go to county cricket`s new structure, which gives players more rest. A pitch of good pace provided an abundance of wickets and runs - though the tourists expect it to turn square before long. And, under James Whitaker, Leicestershire maintained attacking fields. Another stimulant was the forefinger of umpire Peter Wight. Two early lbws shook Australia, and although a succession of left-hand batsmen started pleasingly, the main left-arm bowlers opposing them kept finding swing and occasional bounce. Against his former countrymen, Alan Mullally showed a willingness for sustained effort in the hottest part of the day, and later Alamgir Sheriyar (four for 55) worked up an impressive pace to bowl out the Australians for their lowest score so far. Then Whitaker and Hansie Cronje filled the evening with handsome strokes. If the ease of Cronje sometimes hinted at his giving the Aussie bowlers a lesson, Whitaker was not far behind in his cover driving and pulling. Disturbingly for the tourists, Whitaker had been dropped in the first over, spooning a hook which wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist got to and appeared to pouch, before dropping it. Perhaps that was why few of the tourists were applauding when Whitaker exultantly completed his hundred, made off 105 balls. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com) ====> Day 2, 4 Aug 95 Australians show lack of application - Norman Harris Leicestershire (323 & 45-6) bt Young Australians (220 & 146) by 4 wkts THERE was always a worry that this four-day match would produce another two-day finish. No-one had supposed, though, that the capitulation would come from the Australians - a side containing four Test players and two one-day internationals. Some of them blamed the pitch which, as it became drier, produced steeper and more variable bounce - enough to embarrass Leicestershire as they stumbled towards a paltry victory target of 44. But the truth is that several of the batsmen were most un-Australian in their lack of application - and there were some woeful lapses, too, in their fielding. As Leicestershire forged ahead in the morning, the visitors made a hash of completing what should have been a run-out formality and the bowler involved, Peter McIntyre, then put down a simple return catch. Perhaps this gave the Australians, when they batted again, an ir- ritable edge. Certainly some wild drives were fired off, and edged. The captain, Stuart Law, was out in this manner even after trying, and failing, to flash a head-high ball over the slips. In no time it was 20 for five, which meant nine wickets had fal- len in an extraordinary hour after lunch and without obvious as- sistance from the conditions. A stand between the opener Matthew Elliott and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist then threatened to take the match into a third day. Gilchrist`s sharp footwork produced some exciting boundaries, in- cluding two sixes, but most of this took place while Alan Mullal- ly and Alamgir Sheriyar were being rested. When they came back, the Young Australians were all at sea again and Sheriyar bowled with impressive pace to finish with a career-best six for 30. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)