Date-stamped : 17 May97 - 06:16 Over and out from Knight By Mike Beddow at Edgbaston First day of four: Warwickshire (64-4) trail Yorkshire (233) by 169 runs THE early season frailty of England`s leading batsmen was magnified only when Nick Knight failed to negotiate the opening over in his first championship innings since breaking a finger in New Zealand. Two balls from Darren Gough were dispatched with flashing square cuts, but the fifth darted back into the pads. Knight was gone for eight and three more Warwickshire batsmen followed the lbw route to oblivion. What would have softened the dilemma for the selectors was that the wickets were distributed among two of England`s seamers - three for Gough in an immaculate spell of nine overs and one for Chris Silverwood. Their efforts put a new value on Yorkshire`s total which fell below par when the last six wickets went for 79. The essentials in their scorecard could have been cribbed from last week`s victory here in the Benson and Hedges Cup. Michael Vaughan, reaching 500 runs for the season in all matches, and Darren Lehmann completed successive half centuries on the ground, but the batting as a whole was far less convincing. This was a different pitch - two-paced, with movement off the seam and some turn for Ashley Giles - and a mid- afternoon score of 154 for three only betrayed some flaws in Warwickshire`s position among the title favourites. Donald and Giles shared eight wickets, but there was equal merit in Dougie Brown`s performance. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Pitch causes concern By Mike Beddow at Edgbaston Second day of four: Warwicks (140 & 76-3) require 172 runs to beat Yorkshire (233 & 154) DAVID LLOYD has monitored this match on behalf of the England hierarchy. The course of events has been such that his report may be less about players and more about Edgbaston`s first championship pitch of the summer. The first Test will be played here in three weeks, and though preparations would vary from one pitch to another, there has to be some concern that 33 wickets have fallen in two days. The variations in bounce and movement, whether assisting seamers or slow bowlers, proved too much for the rank and file and were often beyond the capabilities of international batsmen. The exceptions are honourable. In Warwickshire`s first innings, Trevor Penney made 67 before the last five wickets went down for two runs in 20 balls, and Yorkshire`s lead of 93 mushroomed with positive performances by Darren Lehmann and Bradley Parker. Ultimately Warwickshire were required to score 248, the highest score of a match made for the best seam bowlers, but a challenge on that scale is always likely to appeal to Andy Moles. His pugnacious approach, coupled with better form by newcomer David Hemp, raised local optimism, only for Darren Gough to dismiss Moles and Tony Frost, the nightwatchman, shortly before the close. Other than the first morning, the casualty rate averaged seven wickets per session until three innings had been completed within 172 overs. Warwickshire`s chairman, M J K Smith, conceded there was "a bit of uneven bounce", but said: "The only bowler to cause a major problem was Allan Donald, and he does not need much help to do that." In practice, Donald`s match return of seven for 88 was only slightly better than the seven wickets for slow left-armer Ashley Giles and Warwickshire`s third seamer, Dougie Brown, took five wickets from far fewer overs. Gough was less effective yesterday morning, though he sent Brown`s middle stump spinning to end a partnership of 82 with Penney - the highest of the game. Warwickshire`s late collapse was the work of Richard Stemp and Gavin Hamilton, and Yorkshire`s batting then disintegrated almost as quickly. Three players, beginning with Anthony McGrath, suffered the indignity of completing a "pair". Yorkshire would have been pleased with the way Parker coped with the situation and again with the dash of Lehmann until he over- indulged his liking for the pull shot. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Yorkshire hopes dashed by Brown By Mike Beddow at Edgbaston Warwicks (140 & 249-6) bt Yorks (233 & 154) by 4 wkts TO assume the Dermot Reeve role among Warwickshire`s all- rounders, Dougie Brown probably needed a match- winning performance. This was the day. With a strident, undefeated 65, he secured a victory which had seemed improbable at the start of play. Thirty-three wickets had fallen in two days, but Warwickshire lost only three in scoring a further 173. The pitch was not noticeably easier: Brown has bruises on his left hand and elbow, and Trevor Penney is thankful that X-rays dispelled fears of a fractured index finger. The day began well enough for Yorkshire when Darren Gough yorked Dominic Ostler and tempted David Hemp with a ball angled across the left-hander. But then Michael Vaughan misjudged an awkward chance at cover off Craig White`s first ball when Brown had made only eight, and though Penney`s departure to hospital curtailed their second half-century partnership of the match, Yorkshire ultimately became the disjointed side. Remarkably, the result was barely in doubt once Warwickshire had survived White`s first over after lunch. Welch`s middle stump cartwheeled and Giles fended the next ball over the slips in a fraught beginning to what developed into an innings of lavish driving. Two violent pulls helped Brown to 50 from 125 balls, and one more missed chance, to the annoyance of Gough, saw the Scotsman to a match aggregate of 91 runs and five wickets. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)