Date-stamped : 17 Jun97 - 14:18 Clarke to the rescue By Geoffrey Dean at Edgbaston First day of four: Warwick-shire (4-0) trail Derbyshire (200) by 196 runs LIFE after Dean Jones began uncertainly for Derbyshire, whose minds did not appear fully focused from the moment they elected to bat first. But into the void left by one Australian stepped anoth- er of his countrymen. Vince Clarke may have been born 25 years ago in Liverpool, but that is about as far as the Scouse influence goes. Clarke, whose prin- cipal recreations are windsurfing, Aussie Rules and playing the gui- tar, was raised in Perth. Measuring 6 ft 3 ins and weighing in at just under 16 st, the power of some of his strokes was plain to see as he thumped a 57-ball fifty before adopting a more measured approach on his way to a career-best 99 in just over three hours. He was last out, caught behind trying to cut Ashley Giles. Clarke, already at his third county, had come to the wicket at 16 for four with Derbyshire looking unlikely even to emulate Aus- tralia`s first-innings score here last week. The ball was curving around wickedly for the unlucky Graeme Welch and bouncing and seaming for the impressive Dougie Brown. The prob- lem for Warwickshire was their lack of decent support seam bowling - Giles was obliged to start with two overs of medium pace. Clarke and Tim Tweats scored the first half of their 108-run partnership in only seven overs, profiting from both good luck and some waywardness. Spin was soon employed from both ends on a pitch that offered un- usually early turn for the spinners. Clarke played them well, though he was dropped when 57 at slip off Neil Smith, who bowled well. Surprisingly, Brown was never recalled for a second spell af- ter taking four wickets in his first 33 balls. Two ill-chosen shots accounted for Adrian Rollins and Johnny Owen, but Kim Barnett was out to a snorter that lifted off a length. This probably explained why Chris Adams went fatally back to a fullish length off-cutter. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Moles` precision lays foundation By Geoffrey Dean at Edgbaston Second day of four: Warwickshire (209-3) lead Derbyshire (200) by nine runs COUNTY batsmen as yet uncapped by England come no better than Andy Moles, as he demonstrated yesterday with an innings of high skill. His expertly chiselled 83 helped his side gain a po- sition of as- cendancy on a day that was restricted to 71 overs. Under sombre skies and on a pitch that offered some extra bounce, Moles gave a reminder, not that one was needed, how well versed he is in the craft of batting by moving behind every ball with unwa- vering technique and determination. His footwork was decisive and his strokeplay positive when the opportunity arose. He and Peter Bowler are the only two English-born batsmen still playing who average over 40 and have never been given in- terna- tional recognition. Incredibly, Moles, has never heard a single word from the England management or ever been asked to na- tional nets. After Nick Knight was out to a poor shot, chasing a wide long hop from Devon Malcolm, Moles and David Hemp embarked upon what could prove a match-winning partnership, 124 in 40 overs. Both were regular- ly tested by Phil DeFreitas, though much less so by Andrew Harris and Malcom. But on a turning pitch, the two spinners, Vince Clarke and the championship debutant, Ian Black- well, never looked like taking a wicket. Hemp pulled Clarke for six. Moles, dropped when 66 at first slip off DeFreitas, eventually fell to the same bowler thanks to a second catch by Karl Krikken standing up. Dominic Ostler then dug in like a good in- fantryman. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Derbyshire fail to lift gloom By Geoffrey Dean at Edgbaston Third day of four: Warwickshire (321-7) lead Derbyshire (200) by 121 runs A WEEK in the history of Derbyshire County Cricket Club ended as depressingly as it had started. Edgbaston was as bleak yester- day as Derbyshire`s overall performance in this match, one in which defeat appears probable unless the weather is their saviour. There was no play after lunch yesterday when Warwickshire were 121 ahead with three wickets in hand. On a pitch offering unusually early turn, that lead should prove decisive when Messrs Giles and Smith start twirling their fin- gers in Derbyshire`s second innings. Even on day one, the pair were a handful, taking six wickets between them. Turn was the result of a dry pitch that, said groundsman Steve Rouse, he had been unable to water as much as he would have liked because of the Test match. The problem for Derbyshire`s new captain, Phil DeFreitas, was that he lacked the quality of spinners to exploit the conditions. Er- ratic leg-spinner Vince Clarke and Championship debutant left-armer Ian Blackwell were entrusted with only 13 overs be- tween them on Friday and none yesterday when Clarke, in- stead, delivered some gentle medium pace and Blackwell was absent injured. DeFreitas also swapped roles for a while yesterday, bowling some off-spin himself. But after three overs of it, during which time the impressive Trevor Penney pulled him for six, he reverted to pace. Penney`s unbeaten 72 was typical of a now outstanding and highly consistent county batsman. Penney is one of only three England-qualified players who have a career av- erage of more than 40 and have yet to gain international recog- nition. DeFreitas is certainly going to need major performances from the same senior players that Dean Jones, who quit last week, criti- cised. Devon Malcolm gave one in a blistering spell yesterday before the rain came. "He bowled like the wind," said Penney. On Friday, he had been less impressive, pitching a lit- tle too short and, in Andy Moles` view, failing to maintain his pace. Malcolm`s spell yesterday was 9-0-23-3, and 12 of those runs came from his last two overs when he was no longer fresh. Dominic Ostler was bowled off his body, Dougie Brown taken at square-leg, fending off a nasty lifter, and Keith Piper caught behind down the legside. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) By Geoffrey Dean at Edgbaston Final day of four: Derbys (200 & 229-3) drew with Warwicks (340) DERBYSHIRE saved this badly rain-affected match with some de- termined batting, but their Australian coach, Les Stillman, was not at Edgbaston to see it. Stillman`s early departure back to Derby on Sunday before the AXA Life game was the result of a vote of no confidence in him by the senior players, delivered by Kim Barnett. Stillman confirmed that he had been asked to stay away from Edgbaston, but would add nothing more. The players are unhappy that they have been cast in such an un- favourable light by Stillman`s fellow Victorian, Dean Jones, in a statement explaining his decision to leave the club last week in mid-contract. Jones, who brought Stillman with him at the start of last season, complained of "lack of support" from senior play- ers. A meeting will take place today between the full first team, Stillman and senior club officials, and the players want Still- man to issue a public rebuttal of Jones`s claims. If he does, Stillman will serve out the rest of his contract with the second team. It expires at the end of this season and appar- ently will not be renewed. If Stillman continues, as the players see it, to sit on the fence, his position would become untenable and dis- missal would probably follow. If that happens, the players are known to want to make a pub- lic statement giving their side of the Jones affair. Whatever the case, Andy Hayhurst will be promoted from first to second team coach, though he was not at Edgbaston yesterday. Given all the intrigue, the Derbyshire top order did well to summon their concentration at the crease yesterday. Warwick- shire, looking for quick runs, lost their last three wickets in 20 minutes, leav- ing themselves about five hours to bowl Der- byshire out and have a chance of winning a game in which five sessions were lost. But once Barnett and Adrian Rollins had seen off the new ball in an opening stand of 113 in 49 overs, a draw was inevitable with- out an unlikely collapse. The pitch turned but probably too slowly for the Warwickshire spinners, who have bowled better. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)