Date-stamped : 26 Jul97 - 06:55 McCague tears apart Middlesex By Bryon Butler at Lord`s First day of four: Middlesex (103-9) trail Kent (208) by 105 runs NINETEEN wickets fell on a turbulent and erratic day during which Middlesex and Kent contrived to look a smidgen less than po- tential champions; but the winner - and a result looks cer- tain - will be handily placed. Kent were removed for 208, which, after their modest perfor- mances at Headquarters in both one-day competitions, may well be enough in itself to make them remove Lord`s from their list of fun- palaces. The day`s climax was extraordinary. Middlesex went into free- fall, losing nine wickets for 103 in the evening sunshine, with Mar- tin McCague finishing with six for 49 in 15 overs. The pitch, as a matter of course, will be reported. McCague, full sail from the Pavilion end, took his wickets in two spells. He hustled through the defences of Mark Ramprakash and Jason Pooley in the first - and then, in the second, took four more wickets for just three runs in 15 balls. He got lift from a good line and had nightwatchman Angus Fras- er, Keith Brown and Richard Johnson all caught at gully by Paul Strang. Then, the final ignominy for Middlesex, he hit Mike Gatting`s leg stump with the last ball of the day. All this after Alan Igglesden, in only his third championship game since September 1995, briskly removed openers Jacques Kallis and Paul Weekes. Kent`s total was curious as well as modest. Angus Fraser took three for 10 in 19 balls midway through his opening spell and Phil Tufnell took three for five in 25 balls at one point in his late spell. Matthew Fleming, despite a septic toe, bullied the Middlesex attack as if it was a charity game. His 44 in 43 balls includ- ed a six and seven fours. Alan Wells (63) and Steve Marsh (40) then spent the afternoon session putting on 85 for the seventh wicket with sound tech- nique and much common sense. Batsman Peter Wellings is to leave Middlesex to pursue a ca- reer as a coach. Wellings, 27, joined the county in 1995 and played six first-class matches. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Middlesex pin victory hopes on captain By Bryon Butler at Lord`s Second day of four: Middlesex (105 & 134-5) need 127 runs to beat Kent (208 & 157) MIDDLESEX have not forsaken all hope of beating Kent in a game shaped by an indifferent wicket and equally indifferent batting; but much is going to depend on their captain, Mark Ramprakash. He, almost alone, has managed to make batting look an art form. Thirty-five wickets have fallen in two days, but Ramprakash is making a handsome attempt to keep his side`s title hopes alive. He opened the batting with Middlesex needing 261 to win, lost five partners for not very much, but had scored 69 not out before bad light stopped play seven overs early. Middlesex need 127 more with five wickets left, but wicket- keeper Keith Brown has damaged a finger and will bat only in an emergency. The pitch has been properly reported but, despite its big bounce and occasional deviousness, it cannot take all the blame for the game`s clatter of wickets. Groundsman Mick Hunt should at least be spared the firing squad. Only Alan Wells, in Kent`s first innings, had managed a fifty before Ramprakash but Middlesex`s captain will surely need to score his fourth hundred of the summer if his side are to get anywhere near their target. All that can be said is that, so far, Ramprakash has looked equal to all challenges. His bat made just the right noise, he worked off his legs with huge authority, and he never ignored a wayward ball. He reached his fifty with a hook for six and two fours, straight and then to cover, in one over from Paul Strang. The second day was much like the first. Kent subsided all too quickly, and then Middlesex inherited their problems. It had lit- tle to do with four-day cricket but at least it was never dull. Jacques Kallis proved Kent`s undoing this time. The South African all-rounder took five for 54, a career-best, and his sus- tained length and line encouraged the pitch to do its worst. At one point, from the Nursery End, he took the wickets of Trevor Ward, Wells and Matthew Walker for five runs in 15 balls. Walker, it needs to be formally recorded, fell to a wicket- keeper`s catch that was quite brilliant, a dive low to the left that was positively swallow-like. Poetry in motion, almost. The catcher was Mike Gatting, keeping in place of the injured Brown, and it was just one of four he held. Kent owed almost everything to David Fulton for an obdurate 45, which took him three hours, and captain Steve Marsh, who weighed in late with 32 not out. He even managed three fours in an over off Kallis. Kent`s total of 157 left Middlesex needing 261 to win which, on Mr Hunt`s demonic strip, looked formidable. Suspicions were well- founded. Paul Weekes fell to the old firm of Martin McCague and Strang, Jason Pooley popped up a ball from Alan Igglesden to mid-on, and Gatting nudged the second ball he received over the head of Strang who turned, sprinted and dived to hold the ball without outstretched hand - his fifth catch of the game. Owais Shah quickly identified himself as a worthy partner, both stylish and watchful, for Ramprakash, and helped his cap- tain put on 70 for the fourth wicket in 125 balls. Shah made 21 but once the irrepressible Strang had punctured his backward defence, Middlesex`s cause wilted appreciably. Now it`s up to Ramps. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Strang spell proves the final act in Kent drama By Bryon Butler at Lord`s Kent (208 & 157) bt Middlesex (105 & 256) by 4 runs MARK RAMPRAKASH carried his bat for 113, one of the very best of his 37 hundreds, and Middlesex managed the highest score of a match in which 40 wickets fell for 726 runs; but Kent made it, tremu- lously, after 2.5 hours of high drama. Middlesex began this third day needing 127 with five wickets left and Ramprakash on 69. But before they were diddled out just after lunch, the game headed in most directions. Anything might have hap- pened, and most things did. The wicket may have been a bit of a stinker for two days but, for this last scene, it had a change of heart. A little bounce and a touch of turn, yes, but nothing culpable. And the per- sistent leg-spin of Paul Strang (six for 88) ultimately counted for more than Ram- prakash`s hundred. Ramprakash`s contribution, however, was the game`s quality act - an innings, as England folded at Headingley, which few other na- tive batsmen might have managed. It was a crisis job but his ap- pli- cation, technique and relish for runs were constant. He batted for 300 minutes, faced 200 balls and hit a six and 14 fours in his un- defeated 113. But Kent undermined Middlesex at the other end and, across the game`s seven sessions, just de- served a victory that takes them into a handy position in the championship. Jacques Kallis, Ramprakash`s first partner of the day, promised brightly before he was leg before to a ball of full length from Martin McCague for 22. Keith Brown came in, sorely troubled by a cracked right index finger, and what was needed was some stable support for Ram- prakash. What happened, however, was that he swept impetuously at his first ball from Strang and was well caught by Ed Smith at long leg. Brown looked blue as he returned to the pavilion. Middlesex were then 157 for seven, another 104 were needed, and their last three batsmen were Richard Johnson, Angus Fraser and Phil Tufnell - all of whom made nought in the first innings and whose posi- tions in the national averages were, respective- ly, 210, 212 and 225. But Johnson hit six fours, by way of outside edge, pull, cover drive, nudge, pull again and straight drive, mostly handsome shots, mostly off Strang. In an hour he scored 33, his champi- onship best of the season, and helped Ramprakash put on 57 for the eighth wicket. Fraser then clonked a couple of fours and his partnership with his captain was worth 22 when he lofted Strang towards the long leg boundary where Smith, still lurking, took a catch a foot in- side the rope. Enter Tufnell with 25 still needed and Ramprakash now on 102 not out - his fourth century of the season. The great number 11 twice turned McCague for two to square leg and with Ramprakash cover-driv- ing Strang for four, Middlesex were 11 short of vic- tory at lunch. Kent resumed with Matthew `Golden Arm` Fleming and his second over, significantly, was a maiden to Ramprakash. It exposed Tufnell to a full over by Strang - and he was quickly snaffled by Trevor Ward, on the off, just a handshake from the bat. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)