Date-stamped : 18 May97 - 06:15 Somerset have last laugh By Peter Roebuck at Taunton First day of four: Somerset (35-1) trail Sussex (241) by 206 runs SUSSEX`S curious collection of players are destined to struggle in the pitiless world of professional sport. Wounded by departures and weakened by injury, they stuttered along after being obliged to bat on a firm pitch and went to bed much as they had awoken, in high spirits and considerable trouble. Hope could be found only in the fall of Mark Lathwell, shuffling across his stumps in Paul Jarvis`s lively spell. None of the visiting batsmen played a substantial innings against opponents whose high-jinks matched the shouts from the Sussex balcony. Both teams are trying to replace churlishness with cheerfulness, a long journey down a road full of rocks. Keith Greenfield fell first as he tried to glide to leg under the impression the ball was similarly directed. Nor could Neil Taylor resist the mood. Stately and slimline, he pulled Mushtaq Ahmed to the boundary only to leave alone a ball requiring his attentions. Bob `Knocker` White`s index finger has had a busy week and it rose again with the utmost conviction. By lunch Sussex had reached 83 for two. Alas collapses are never far away among those whose ranks are depleted. Having somehow dragged himself away from the German futures market, Toby Peirce had survived a torrid morning at some cost to his left hand. Now he was fooled by Graham Rose`s slower in-swinger, but Andrew Caddick was the best of the pacemen, bowling well and without reward as David Graveney, chairman of the England selectors, watched from the stands. For a time hereafter Sussex moved slowly forwards, with Bill Athey and Keith Newell in trenchant occupation. At last Somerset tried a part-timer and it worked, Keith Parsons removing Athey with a ball that kept low. Parsons might have struck again had Robert Turner`s gloves been covered in glue. Nevertheless the end was nigh. Somewhat optimistically, Sussex had chosen lots of bowlers and it did not take long for Mushtaq to dismiss them. Hard days lie ahead for Sussex. Their new chairman cannot excuse himself after one year. A fearless critic from the sidelines, Robin Marlar must carry out his task or face charges of dilettantism. Meanwhile his team must continue to find cheer amid the gloom. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Rose grows to new heights By Peter Roebuck at Taunton Second day of four: Somerset (409) lead Sussex (241 & 6-0) by 162 runs A MAJESTIC innings from Graham Rose and a typically doughty contribution from Richard Harden have given Somerset an immense advantage in this match. Starting amid the rubble of 67 for six, the seventh-wicket pair added 279, breaking by one run the previous record held for a solitary summer by Robert Turner and Shane Lee. Only Paul Jarvis stood in their way, his scorching spells testing the pair`s every resource. Once he tired, Sussex were powerless to resist the onslaught. Rose and Harden were superb. Age has improved both men. Rose had been regarded as a player of hand-tingling moments. At Middlesex he was dismissed as a soft touch. It has taken time for him to shed the skin of his apprenticeship and choose his own. Now he has emerged as a dangerous swing bowler and a batsman strong off both feet. Here he cut and drove with awesome and yet humble power and always along the ground as he thundered towards his second successive century and the highest score of his career. He must count among the foremost all-rounders in the country. Harden has been known as a grafter, a man for a tight corner but not a fellow to dominate. Never had he doubted that struggle was to be his lot. But his confidence has grown over the years and his benefit is in the bag. Now he drives a Mercedes, drinks Pimm`s and plays all manner of strokes, including belligerent pulls over square leg and drives over mid-off`s head. But it is aggression built upon a rock. Harden can appear impregnable in defence, and his concentration wavered only with the edge through slip that brought his hundred and the pull that sent him to the pavilion. Sussex could not contain this pair. They had only one card in their hand; they played it in the morning and it almost worked. Putting to withering use a pitch dampened by dew, Sussex`s opening bowlers tore through Somerset`s fragile top order. Peter Bowler fell first as he pushed tentatively forward in the opening over, Bob White raising his finger once again, and rightly so. Marcus Trescothick did not last long either and his technique is not yet tight enough for this company. He drove across Robinson`s persistent inswing and White`s finger rose again. It is a downright shame that so headstrong an official as Cyril Mitchley is standing in the opening Test matches. At last Jarvis`s efforts were rewarded as Michael Burns chipped to mid-on whereupon Keith Parsons was beaten by an inswinger and Robert Turner by a leg-cutter to leave Somerset in strife. Only the latter pair could excuse themselves. Otherwise poor technique against the moving ball was to blame. Jarvis bowled 11 overs in his morning spell and only towards the end did he stray to leg. Once he withdrew, Sussex could not maintain their rage. Neither spinner was dangerous. Amer Khan bowled his leg- spinners without much variety, until tea was taken anyhow whereupon he started to trust himself and took wickets as the tailenders hit out. He must have been flattered to find so many men hovered around the bat. Shane Warne does not often bowl to such fields. Nick Phillips`s off-breaks are sent down from a short delivery stride so that control is difficult. Martin Thursfield was not called upon until 199 runs had been scored whereupon he proved erratic, Rose plundering six boundaries in 11 balls. Really, it is no surprise because Sussex are fielding a desperately inexperienced attack. Rain has denied the Cidermen in their first two championship matches. Their luck must change. Alas it never rains but it pours upon Sussex, whose bowlers are either green or hobbling and whose opening batsmen were left nursing sore hands, Keith Greenfield dislocating a finger as he tried to catch Harden. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Athey heads towards safe pastures By Peter Roebuck at Taunton Third day of four: Sussex (241 & 142-3) trail Somerset (409) by 26 runs RECENT revelations in Cricket Digest that the game was invented not by shepherds, as had been supposed, but by ironworkers, will have come as no surprise to Bill Athey. He had long suspected something of the sort. Helped by regular interruptions for bad light and rain, which took 50 overs from Somerset`s allocation, Athey kept his wicket intact throughout the day and gave his team a chance of saving the match. Batting with his customary blend of steely determination and neat footwork, Athey did not look much like getting out. Only Andrew Caddick troubled him on a pitch slowly falling to sleep. Despite the murky conditions, none of the bowlers could find any swing and Caddick alone secured bounce from a length that hurts. Try as he might, Mushtaq Ahmed could not find much spin either. Nevertheless to endure from first to last demanded tenacity and technique. Somerset took wickets periodically rather than in bursts. Peter Moores soon fell upon play resuming, edging an outswinger to give Kevin Shine reward for his enthusiasm. Ignoring a dislocated finger, Keith Greenfield took his place and was immediately dropped at point by Mark Lathwell, who is having a butter-fingered month. Otherwise Greenfield appeared composed and was still Athey`s partner as he passed 25,000 runs in first-class cricket. Sussex had reached 49 for one when the first rains arrived to give Somerset warning that the elements might conspire against them. Six overs were lost and, upon play restarting, Greenfield obligingly played no stroke to Graham Rose`s off- cutter. Neil Taylor joined Athey and was soon cutting Mushtaq efficiently. He appeared settled until he was caught at slip as he drove at a tempting leg-break. Sussex had slipped to 128 for three, but then the rains returned. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Athey`s defiance unrewarded By Clive Ellis at Taunton Final day of four: Sussex (241 & 259 - 5) drew with Somerset (409) BILL ATHEY`S idea of a perfect Saturday had been to stride from the crease unbeaten at 2.59 after making a match- winning century for Sussex, then settle down to watch his hometown side, Middlesbrough, skate to victory in the FA Cup final. Athey did make an outstandingly defiant undefeated 138 which embraced his 25,000th first-class run, but it brought Sussex no more than an honourable draw. Rain permitted only seven overs after lunch and Athey sprinted back to the dressing-room to be greeted by the news that his beloved Boro had already conceded a goal. For Sussex, sustained by excellent team spirit, injuries have stretched resources to breaking point. Keith Greenfield and Toby Peirce have both been in the wars here and Peirce winced miserably as his bruised left hand was jarred against the bat handle by Andy Caddick in a hostile spell which brought the wicket of Keith Newell. Peirce eventually got himself run out by the quick- thinking Somerset wicketkeeper, Rob Turner, who then had to leave the field when a ball from Mushtaq Ahmed flicked Paul Jarvis`s pad and caught him full in the face, shattering a contact lens. Graham Rose bowled tidily early on, but there were no heroics to complement his hugely satisfying 191 in Somerset`s first innings and they were left to reflect frustratedly on a third championship victory which might have been if the elements had allowed. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)