Date-stamped : 13 May97 - 06:16
McGrath goes on the attack

By Andrew Collomosse at Headingley

Yorkshire (309-5) bt Minor Counties (125) by 184 runs

ANTHONY McGRATH, the England A batsman, yesterday  eased  himself
into  form  as  Yorkshire  strolled  into  the last eight  of the
competition with embarrassing  ease  against  a   side   who  had
previously  caused some uneasy moments in the  so-called group of
death.

There was never any chance of that as McGrath stylishly  compiled
Yorkshire`s first century in 11 games  against the Minor Counties
in the 50-over competition.

He dominated a sixth-wicket partnership of   112   in   13  overs
with  Richard  Blakey   to   which   the  Yorkshire  wicketkeeper
contributed only 23.

Lincolnshire seamer Simon Oakes caused a minor  flutter  in  home
hearts when he dismissed Michael  Vaughan,  David  Byas and Peter
Hartley in nine overs as  Yorkshire  subsided  from   70  without
loss to 128 for three.

That flutter would have become a  palpitation  had  Ian  Cockbain
held  a  slip  chance from Craig White off Stewart  Laudat before
the England all-rounder had opened his account.

Instead, White and McGrath added  61  in  the   next   11  overs,
leaving  McGrath  to  supply  the pyrotechnics as Yorkshire eased
past 300.

Steve Dean, caught and bowled off a no-ball  in   Darren  Gough`s
first  over,  clearly had  every  intention  of  matching McGrath
shot-for-shot as he  achieved  the  not  inconsiderable  feat  of
outpacing Wayne Larkins in an opening stand of 63 in 13 overs.

The former England opener was  almost  reduced  to  the  role  of
spectator  as Dean raced to his fifty off 45 balls  with 10 fours
in 53 minutes.

But   Larkins   perished   as   he   tried   to     press     the
accelerator  and  once   Dean  had  been  bowled  by  White,  the
innings subsided.

Cockbain fell to the next  delivery,  but  White,   like  Richard
Stemp  and  Hartley,  who  also claimed two wickets in  two balls
later in the innings, was unable to complete  his  hat- trick.

The only prolonged opposition as Yorkshire cruised home with 16.3
overs  to  spare  came  from  Nick  Gaywood,  who survived for 82
minutes and 55  balls  before  he  was  last  man   out,  caught,
inevitably  perhaps,  by  McGrath  on   the   midwicket boundary.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/)

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