Date-stamped : 13 Sep97 - 06:08 Smiths offer reminder By Peter Deeley at Edgbaston First day of four: Warwickshire 407-7 v Gloucestershire THIS was a tale of two Smiths, both seemingly forgotten men in England terms, and a Brown, who is a coming hope. Warwickshire`s Neil Smith scored his first century in eight years, his namesake Mike of Gloucestershire returned to the top of the wicket-takers lists and Dougie Brown showed with the bat why he has been picked for the Sharjah international tournament. Birmingham`s own Smith, who briefly enjoyed international sta- tus last year, employed muscle a-plenty as he led a Warwickshire recov- ery, reaching a century which included 17 boundaries and a six off 112 balls. Six weeks ago Mike Smith carried the nation`s hopes when called up for the fourth Ashes Test. Now he cannot command a place on any England winter tour, abruptly cold-shouldered by the selectors. In his second spell of the day after lunch Smith struck twice in three overs to get Nick Knight caught off his toes at mid-wicket and then Dominic Ostler to a thin edge to take his total of dis- missals to 76. Lewis`s second five-wicket haul included four in 10 overs, crucially David Hemp, who had reached his half-century off 53 balls with 10 fours and a six, taken at slip. These sides are theoretical title contenders but they came in- to this game with hangovers. Warwickshire suffered that heavy de- feat in the NatWest final at the weekend, while the West Country side`s title aspirations took a battering with two successive defeats and they looked a weary side by the close. The visitors put down a nap-hand of chances in the field, Hemp surviving two, but they were on top until Brown joined Neil Smith in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 181, overtaking a 60-year- old county record against Gloucestershire. Brown has a haul of 75 wickets this summer and his fourth half-century this season was a mixture of the unorthodox and sen- sible hit- ting. The news that Courtney Walsh is coming back next summer has surprised many in Gloucestershire who had expected Australia`s Shaun Young to be given another year`s contract. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Russell down but not out for Gloucestershire By Peter Deeley at Edgbaston Second day of four: Gloucs (113 & 186-5) trail Warwicks (418) by 119 runs JACK RUSSELL has always been the supreme battler and he will be back here in the thick of Gloucestershire`s desperate rearguard ac- tion after being knocked groggy by a blow yesterday. It takes a lot to remove Russell from the action but when he turned his back on a lifting delivery from Warwickshire`s Dougie Brown and took the impact high on the back of his helmet, the England man sank to the ground. After several minutes` treatment Russell was taken to the dress- ing-room in a dazed state but he is determined to carry on his single-handed resistance. Before the accident, Russell had fought off the rampant Warwickshire attack for 1.75 hours. Russell`s 44 was Gloucestershire`s top score on a day when 14 of their wickets went down in a lamentable batting display and opener Dominic Hewson was unable to turn out because of illness. For Warwickshire, looking to push into the top reaches of the table, Dominic Ostler demonstrated his super- lative qualities at slip. He took five catches, only one of them straightfor- ward. Of the other four, three were taken with his right hand and one with his left; each was a virtuoso effort, one was even de- flected off wicketkeeper Keith Piper. Ostler has now taken 28 catches this season as either the sole or second slip. In the game against Sussex he came on as a sub- stitute and took another four, but those cannot be credited to him. Warwickshire`s innings was wrapped up in little more than 20 minutes with the new ball. Century-maker Neil Smith and Brown took their eighth-wicket stand to 186 and Jonathan Lewis fin- ished with his second six-wicket haul. Mike Smith took his season`s total to 78 wickets with two in successive deliveries. Gloucestershire`s batting of late has been responsible for their slide from the top and their first-innings total of 113 would have been even more embarrassing if their highest scorer, Tim Hancock, had not survived a straightforward chance when Allan Donald, at deep fine leg, failed to hold a hook off Brown. Hancock, on eight, went on to 35 before he played inside a flighted ball from Neil Smith. Smith finished with a season`s best four for 32 and in the 2.5 hours it took to rout the visi- tors the skills of England A spinner Ashley Giles were not re- quired. Neil Smith damaged his bowling hand putting down a hard return chance from Martyn Ball and second time round, when Giles was brought into the fray, he too wrung his hand attempting to take a powerful high drive from Hancock. Giles yorked him in the same over with his quicker ball and as three Gloucestershire wickets fell for six runs there was every likelihood of a Warwickshire victory in two days. Before being hit, however, Russell, supported by Shaun Young, refused to give in without a struggle. The two swung freely across the line and doubled the total until Young fell to Ostler`s cat-like reactions. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Donald makes untimely exit By Peter Deeley at Edgbaston Warwickshire (418) bt Gloucestershire (113 & 224) by an in- nings and 81 runs ALLAN DONALD sneaked Warwickshire into provisional third place in this topsy-turvy championship race but then the county appeared to rule themselves out of further contention by announcing that the South African is flying home on Monday to join his Test colleagues for their winter programme. This means the Warwickshire attack, already hit by injuries, will be without him in a game that could yield them a fur- ther 24 points. Lowly Northamptonshire are the opposition on Thursday at Edg- baston, where the home side have already won three games in- side two days` playing time and another two in 2.5 days. War- wickshire chief executive Dennis Amiss said: "Realistically, we know we cannot win the title and it was always understood be- tween us and the South African au- thorities that only in such a contingency would we keep him on." Donald expressed sadness at leaving at such a crucial stage and his team-mates, privately, do not entirely agree with Amiss`s analysis of their chances in the title struggle. At the outset of this game Gloucestershire too were theoreti- cal title contenders but in this, their third successive defeat, they looked a side ranked far above their true ability. They can hardly have embarked on a more hopeless situation: half the game left, needing another 119 runs to avoid defeat, half the side gone and Do- minic Hewson ill and unable to bat. But for one man the crisis was like the sound of the trumpet to a warhorse. Jack Russell resisted for 2.75 hours and hit 12 boundaries - reaching 1,000 runs for the first time in 17 seasons - before Donald brought one back so sharply that it took the in- side edge. The trouble was that Russell could not bat at both ends. With the day`s first ball Donald had Richard Davis caught at short leg. Then Martyn Ball clipped him tamely to cover and, in the final ses- sion, Mike Smith swished at Donald and lost his off stump. The South African had thus taken his 60th wicket of the season - it could be 2000, however, before he is back, probably for his benefit. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)