Date-stamped : 27 Apr97 - 06:17 Curtis back in his old routine By Neil Hallam at Trent Bridge First day of four: Worcs (286-3) v Notts WHEN cricket folk spin mid-winter dreams of the joys of a new season, very few will have Worcestershire`s Tim Curtis playing the lead in their reveries. Despite his England pedigree and clean-cut profile, Curtis is nobody`s idea of a glamorous cricketer but the 40th first- class century of his career, made off off 305 balls, amply demonstrated the pragmatic qualities which have served Worcestershire so splendidly for the last 18 seasons. Only briefly in the late 90s did his score overtake the number of overs and few of his 10 boundaries were executed with a flourish, but Worcestershire`s 286 for three secured a solid platform which owed most to his discipline and powers of concentration. Notts` new groundsman Steve Birks is briefed to work for a better balance between bat and ball at Trent Bridge, where banal pitches are cited as a factor in poor championship results, but there was little but the odd variation in bounce to show that much had been changed by taking the mower blades up a notch. Phillip Weston, having reached 50 off 81 balls, late cut straight to slip in the last over before lunch while Graeme Hick lasted only four overs after it. He cut a shortish, widish ball to gully, but Worcestershire had a batting point in the bag before Notts claimed further reward for bowling that was persevering rather than penetrative. Reuben Spiring survived a lofted cut to wide third man one run before he was dislodged by a degree of extra bounce, but Curtis remained at his most crustacean against a Notts side seeking to end a run of one win in 23 championship games. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) ==================================>Day 2 Johnson left facing difficult decision By Neil Hallam at Trent Bridge Second day of four: Notts (196-3) trail Worcs (417) by 221 runs THE manifesto of Notts may contain a commitment to the abolition of comatose pitches at Trent Bridge, but bat was still maintaining its domination of ball in this contest, which has already yielded 613 runs for the loss of only 13 wickets. There was little to betray the wary as Worcestershire posted 417 - they would have had more but for a middle-order collapse sparked by Mark Bowen - before Paul Pollard and Tim Robinson launched Notts` purposeful response with an opening stand of 173 in 50 overs. At 196 for three Notts have the makings of a big first- innings total, presenting their captain Paul Johnson with the likelihood of some testing tactical judgements as he contemplates a discouraging championship record of one victory in 23 games stretching back to July 1995. Victory in the first match of the season would do wonders for morale. But should he aim for a significant lead and trust his bowlers to do better second time around? Or would an early declaration and a run-chase be wiser? While Pollard and Robinson were making serene progress in terrible light, it was the former plan"which looked the more inviting, but Worcestershire`s attack came back strongly to dislodge both in the 80s. Pollard, whose last first-class hundred was a season and a half ago, seemed well set for another as he milked 81 from 156 balls, but then he shouldered arms to the left-arm spin of Matt Rawnsley. Graeme Archer perished with a slice to second slip and retrenchment was required when Robinson followed, caught behind. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)