Date-stamped : 03 May97 - 06:14 Wasim`s final flourish tips the balance By Mike Beddow at Edgbaston Lancs (208-8) bt Warwicks (208) by losing fewer wickets A DRAMATIC final over saw Lancashire, the holders for the previous two years, cling on to their formidable reputation in the Benson and Hedges Cup. Six-times finalists and four- times winners during the Tory years, they rediscovered the willpower, discipline and nerve which has seen them through many skirmishes on their journeys to Lord`s. Victory here was essential to even begin to repair the damage done by defeats by Yorkshire and Derbyshire, and until the last two overs, extinction looked imminent. Warwickshire required six runs, they had Graeme Welch at the crease, blossoming with his first fifty in the competition, and only an unlikely twist would prevent their third win this week. Welch dispatched Wasim Akram`s first delivery to deep cover for a single, but the next five, angled in from round the wicket, were quick and straight, and Allan Donald was unable to score. The result might have been settled from the first ball of the final over but Welch`s straight drive was brilliantly cut off by Graham Lloyd`s dive on the boundary. After a single by Welch, Donald was bowled by Ian Austin to bring in last man Gladstone Small: two to come, two runs wanted. Small failed to get the first beyond the inner ring, and though the next went to deep cover, it was a hopeless cause when he turned back for the second run. Richard Green`s throw dipped into Warren Hegg`s gloves above the stumps. The last-ball drama meant that Lancashire won by losing one wicket fewer, Wasim was given the Gold Award, as much for his last over as for a wonderful half-century, and Group A remains the hardest to fathom. In many ways, this was a head-to-head between the overseas players. Wasim captained Lancashire on his return from a shoulder injury and Donald bowled Warwickshire into a strong position with five wickets. Stimulating as their performances were, the supporting cast played a full part. Austin scored runs and took wickets for Lancashire, and Warkwickshire`s collective spirit withstood a collapse to 88 for six. Dougie Brown had been responsible for almost half of that total when he drove straight back to Gary Yates, but Trevor Penney, in an innings of great maturity, put on 104 with Welch. The promised improvement in Edgbaston pitches - essential to the retention of Test status - was questionable during Donald`s three spells and the haste with which Wasim and Peter Martin took Warwickshire`s first three wickets. Though this pitch contributed to the entertainment, there was too much discrepancy in pace and bounce for batsmen to compete on equal terms with the best quick bowlers. In particular, Donald`s presence was awesome. His first six overs, which included three wickets in 12 balls, broke up a half-century start by Mike Atherton and Jason Gallian; his second appearance terminated a revival instigated by Austin; and his final two overs completed competition-best figures of five for 25. The openers made errors on the drive, Gallian to cover and Atherton to slip, and John Crawley`s early-season reactions failed to cope with rapid inward movement. Lancashire could have done without Neil Fairbrother`s impetuous thrust at a flighted delivery from Ashley Giles, and they became 96 for five when Lloyd flapped across the line to Small. As well as Welch did with the new ball, Warwickshire gave 19 overs to their spinners, an expensive exercise with two sixes for Wasim and another for Austin. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)