Date-stamped : 18 May97 - 06:15 Evans thrives on field of dreams By Neville Scott at Old Trafford First day of four: Notts (128-4) lead Lancs (125) by 3 runs FOR Kevin Evans, a man used to hard work on sterile surfaces at Nottingham, yesterday`s Old Trafford wicket was the stuff of dreams. Evans is an old-school seamer with sufficient nous to cause havoc on a green pitch which bore testament to the rain of recent weeks, and he returned career-best figures of six for 40, adding two catches as Chris Tolley claimed three more wickets in four overs during the latter part of the Lancashire innings. For the first time since 1994 in the championship at Old Trafford, save once when rain washed out the first day, winning the toss meant choosing to field. After a delayed start, Evans had bowled 29 balls and removed three England batsmen before conceding a run. He then had Graham Lloyd caught off an unplayable beauty two deliveries later. Lancashire were 52 for nine in 23 overs, with John Crawley 14 not out and all but two batsmen caught by three slips or wicketkeeper Wayne Noon. But, having arrived at first wicket down without a run on the board and playing with a defensive mastery rarely required on covered pitches, Crawley now fashioned shots of splendid defiance. Indeed, the 73 runs added for the last wicket with an unflappable Peter Martin may conceivably still win the match. For Wasim Akram`s in-swing did completely for Tim Robinson, Graeme Archer and Noel Gie in 22 balls either side of tea and Notts were soon 37 for four. That great battler, Paul Johnson, dropped when 15, fought to the close in easier conditions against bowling less straight than Evans`s but a decisive lead is still a good way off. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Afzaal plays it straight to frustrate Lancashire By Neville Scott at Old Trafford Second day of four: Lancs (125 & 133-1) trail Notts (263) by 5 runs USMAN AFZAAL was called away from a second XI match in which he made a century on Tuesday because his defensive abilities were thought suited to a green Manchester pitch. He more than confirmed coach Alan Ormrod`s assessment. Adding only 12 in the day`s first 90 minutes and a final 14 in 17 overs after lunch, his overall, unbeaten career best 70 occupied fully 239 balls, with just one four in his 50. Born in Rawalpindi, before arriving to be educated at a Nottingham comprehensive, eyebrows might be raised at the claim that he is still three weeks short of his 20th birthday. What is beyond dispute is the wonderful straight-bat maturity he brought to bear yesterday. As Notts` remaining six wickets fell every 35 minutes or so at the other end, Afzaal, studiously ignoring or playing down a series of Wasim Akram lifters, carried the innings into mid- afternoon and a final lead of 138. They will be disappointed if they cannot now win though this remains far from sure. As an under-19 international, Afzaal attracted wide praise for his slow left-arm spin. Now a batsman who only occasionally bowls, he is part of that clutch of young players of Asian extraction to have so hearteningly emerged in recent summers. Paul Johnson soon departed, bowled by Glen Chapple trying to play an inswinging, low full-toss to leg in the 11th over, and a seam attack as good as Lancashire`s, in still fairly helpful conditions, should have finished off Afzaal`s subsequent partners by lunch. Beset by a curious lack of spark, however, they proved wayward enough to concede 44 in no-balls and wides, both now gifting two runs, as extras top-scored. Wasim, the chief offender, still carries a shoulder sprain but an under-employed Ian Austin proved what was possible. Austin`s characteristically deceptive bounce accounted for Chris Tolley, caught in two minds over an indeterminate cut, Mark Bowen, with a beauty, and last man Paul Franks, who top- edged his pull to mid-wicket. His other scalp of four claimed in two brief spells needed a brilliant, full-length left-handed catch by Warren Hegg off an authentic leg-glance from fellow wicketkeeper Wayne Noon. In what has become one of those games where, on a dried-out surface, the third innings provides the key. Lancashire immediately lost Jason Gallian as he shuffled defensively forward, edged to Noon and completed a pair. But while Afzaal still learns, Michael Atherton`s adhesion leads the world. In 51 overs to the close, despite only 96 runs in eight innings hitherto, Atherton was rarely troubled. John Crawley, 64 not out, whose sometimes breathtaking strokeplay was once again in a technical class of its own, was the perfect partner. Their undefeated 133-run stand, threatened only by their own fallible calling, has not only restored parity but set up a potentially fine finish. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Crawley`s fine century unlikely to save Lancs By Neville Scott at Old Trafford Third day of four: Notts (263 & 30-0) need 190 runs to beat Lancs (125 & 357) LANCASHIRE`S revival seemed complete when John Crawley completed a wonderful century five minutes before lunch and a lead of 100 was established with eight wickets standing. For a side so historically astute in pacing one-day innings, however, their championship grasp has long proved frail. Determined to blast their way to a winning advantage in the afternoon - though time remained for tactics far more fruitful and calm - Lancashire`s final lead fell a good 60 runs short of expectations. A run-out, always possible, duly ended the overnight 178-run stand when Michael Atherton failed to beat Chris Tolley`s fine throw from backward point. Even when the teenager Paul Franks removed both Crawley, caught down the leg side, and Mike Watkinson in nine balls, the game remained even. By then Graham Lloyd had already hammered 33 off Usman Afzaal`s first 30 balls. It is difficult to know how to take him this year: never a blocker, in Lloyd`s present fevered mood it seems almost every ball must go for four. Top-edging a pull to mid-on, he brought Graeme Archer`s gentle seam an 11th first-class victim. With Tolley unable to bowl, Afzaal, the sole spinner on a pitch now turning, shared the new ball. After removing left-handers Ian Austin, hoiking, and Wasim Akram, leaping out to be stumped, Afzaal completed a maiden three-wicket bag when Peter Martin top-edged his sweep. In between, Mark Bowen had Neil Fairbrother drilling to mid-off and undid Warren Hegg with bounce. As Tim Robinson nursed a badly bruised forearm, struck at silly point, stand-in opener Tolley kicked Notts forward before bad light closed in. Victory should await today. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Notts joy at Afzaal`s all-round superiority By Neil Hallam at Old Trafford Final day pf four: Notts (263 & 233 - 4) beat Lancashire (125 & 357) by 6 wickets WHEN Nottingham shire supporters looked forward to seeing a match-winner from Pakistan putting an end to their county`s reputation as championship pushovers, the one they had in mind was perhaps not Usman Afzaal. However with their fast-bowling recruit Mohammad Zahid reporting to Trent Bridge with a back problem yesterday, they found themselves indebted to the 19-year-old Afzaal, born in Rawalpindi but raised in Nottingham. Making his first senior appearance of the season, he produced the performance of a lifetime in a six-wicket victory achieved with 39 overs to spare. After making a career-best 70 in more than six hours to prop up the first innings and another career-best of three for 79 with his left-arm spin, Afzaal scored an unbeaten 77 to set another personal best as Notts achieved a victory target of 220 to record their first championship win since June last season and only their second since July 1995. With his captain Paul Johnson (87 not out), the tall and elegant Afzaal shared an unbroken stand of 160 to rescue Notts from an unpromising 63 for four and ask some awkward questions of a Lancashire attack which, England seamer Peter Martin apart, failed to extract the help available in sappy, overcast conditions. The odd delivery reared sharply off a length and anything put in the right place was likely to be rewarded with lavish movement. But once Martin had been safely negotiated Notts were able to proceed with minimal fuss to a victory which, according to cricket manager Alan Ormrod, "will give us a huge psychological boost." Ormrod enthused: "I never accepted that we were as poor a side as our championship record suggested but there was no doubt that we needed an early win to prevent any mental block about the four-day game from building up." Afzaal, who played only four championship games last season, joined the Notts staff as a left-arm spinner and won England Under-19 caps in that role. "We called him up to Old Trafford after he made a century in the second XI this week and he`s acquitted himself brilliantly," said Ormrod. "There are still areas where he can improve but he`s young and is prepared to graft and concentrate and that is something we need." The money was on Lancashire when Martin had Chris Tolley and Graeme Archer held at second slip and trapped Paul Pollard leg before, but the rest of the attack failed to maintain the pressure. And even better for Notts, Zahid should be fit to make his debut next week. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)