Date-stamped : 27 Apr97 - 06:17 Cowan follows Connor`s lead to lift Essex By Simon Hughes at Chelmsford First day of four: Hampshire (103-7) trail Essex (246) by 143 runs LOOKING at the parched, bare state of the Chelmsford car park, you might have expected a dry, dusty surface in the middle, helmetless batsmen and the rare sight of two spinners operating before lunch on the opening day of the championship. Not a bit of it. The pitch had a green hue and the emerald outfield kept the new ball in pristine condition throughout. The spinners only sent down three overs all day. Instead, two trusty but markedly different English seamers took the bulk of the 17 wickets to fall and all the faster bowlers passed the bat at regular intervals except when Nasser Hussain and Paul Prichard were stylishly adding 97 for the second wicket. The first-innings advantage they have achieved, having been put in, will be crucial as the wicket gets easier. Embarking on his 25th summer odyssey, Graham Gooch eased the second ball of the new season through the covers and was soon nipping between the wickets, showing no ill-effects from his 3hr 53min run in the London Marathon 10 days ago. But after four exploratory overs down the hill Cardigan Connor found the right spot with a nip-backer and Gooch departed to attend to other business. While the smooth, rhythmical Connor was out of the attack, Hussain and Prichard prospered against an assortment of half- volleys, short balls and deliveries that bounced and moved and took a thick edge to the third-man boundary. As soon as Connor returned, up the hill this time, Hussain`s off- stump was trimmed with a superb leg-cutter, and Prichard was trapped on the crease. Stuart Law stroked his third ball effortlessly for four, and Ronnie Irani cuffed anything short through the covers, but the return of Connor for a third spell sent the innings into terminal decline. His nag and nip were ideal for the conditions. After looking stiff at first, Ashley Cowan contributed the same for Essex. A lither, faster version of the old Kent giant Norman Graham, Cowan was pulled savagely for four by Hampshire`s new left-hander Matthew Hayden, who promises "to make an enormous number of runs" after his omission from the Australian tour party. But swatting at a higher bouncer, Hayden edged to the keeper. The swing and lift of Cowan, Irani and Danny Law was too much for most of the other batsmen. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) ===========================>Day 2 Hampshire are put to flight by Law and Irani By Simon Hughes at Chelmsford Second day of four: Essex (246 & 373-7) lead Hants (161) by 458 runs AFTER blazing a trail through Middle England last year with 12 centuries in all competitions, Queensland`s Stuart Law illuminated a small part of it yesterday despite having been in the country only 48 hours. His commanding 78, allied to Ronnie Irani`s equally forthright method, thrust Essex into an unassailable position which they will struggle to squander. Hampshire`s confidence might be bolstered by remembering the equivalent encounter last year when Essex conceded 539 in the first innings and still won the match. But over the two days, the contest has resembled a game between Arsenal and Portsmouth, a well-organised Premiership team with perpetual ambition playing an energetic First Division side who aspire to higher honours but never quite manage them. Without the injured Robin Smith, nursing a sore ankle - perhaps he dropped his benefit money on it -Hampshire do look in a different league. They do have an Essex exile, John Stephenson, captaining them at least, with a bit of local knowledge; but you cannot allow for your own bowlers failing to put the ball in the right place, with the exception of Cardigan Connor, or negligent drivers doing U turns in front of you. Stephenson arrived at the ground yesterday quite shaken up after a nasty prang. His head would have been throbbing a good deal more when he was obliged to bring himself on after only seven overs of Essex`s second innings. In company with the resolute Adrian Aymes, the Hampshire bowlers had squeezed 67 runs out of the last three wickets - Ashley Cowan finishing with a career-best five for 49. But they then handed them back in half an hour of friendly offerings. Graham Gooch unleashed several of his favourite back foot square-drives, and Paul Prichard oiled his swivel-pull as Stuart Milburn struggled to find a consistent length, and Connor tried in vain to regain his menace of the first innings. In the off season he doubles as a masseur in his native Anguilla, but by the end of his second spell yesterday he looked in need of one himself. After being impolitely thumped for a couple of boundaries by his old opening partner, Stephenson got his own back, trapping Gooch lbw as he aimed to leg. The swing and guile of another two-club man, Kevan James (Middlesex 1980-84), winkled out Prichard and Nasser Hussain who had just got into his stride. Law quickly underlined his power of stroke, though, punching James for two straight fours. At the crease he stands primed, ready to pounce, his bat has a broadness and crisp resonance that saps a bowler`s confidence. Any minute error of length is swiftly punished, particularly past cover. He was the more dominant in the stand with Irani, rustling up 50 of the first 60, although Irani caught up as the partnership wore on and is in sniffing distance of his fifth first-class hundred. Perhaps frustrated by a sweeper on the cover boundary, Law edged an attempted upper cut off the persevering Stephenson, thus failing to record his fifth century in nine innings against Hampshire (in all competitions and including one for Australia A). Alarm bells are already ringing when Australia can boast six superior plunderers. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) ===============================>Day 3 Irani eager to fulfil potential By Simon Hughes at Chelmsford Third day of four: Hants (161 & 3-0) need 522 runs to beat Essex (246 & 442-8 dec) CHELMSFORD is no more appetising than Bolton, especially in the rain, but Ronnie Irani is certainly relishing his southern migration. Having managed fewer than 400 first-class runs in four seasons at Lancashire, he has now passed 3,200 for Essex in three and a bit. Irani required just 10 balls yesterday to complete his fifth century for the club where he has already been eagerly adopted as part of the family. The feelings are clearly mutual. When Irani reached the landmark he kissed his bat then blew another kiss to the dressing room. Fiercely ambitious and clearly intent on extending his two-Test career, Irani enlisted Ian Botham to help with his bowling, and his batting is benefiting from Essex`s experts. There is, though, a world of difference between taking 172 (in two innings) off an inoffensive county attack and taming the grizzly Australians. Once Irani had passed his career best of 119, Paul Prichard declared and drizzle allowed only one over of Hampshire`s second innings. At least they have three points for a draw to play for. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) ===================================>Day 4 At Chelmsford, Essex took the honours, reducing Hampshire to 64 for two in their second innings, to add to their 161 all out first time round. Rising batting star Jason Laney`s poor start to the season continued, as he was bowled by Mark Ilott for four, and his captain John Stephenson could make only 20, before falling lbw to Ronnie Irani. Overseas signing Matthew Hayden made an encouraging 35 not out, but Hampshire were a massive 463 behind and needing the help from above when the rain duly forced the abandonment. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)