Match report day 1: Essex v Lancs in Championship 2003 by Neil Adams

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Scorecard:

Essex v Lancashire

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Summary for Day 1

A cocktail of light rain, heavy cloud cover and a covered pitch with a noticeable green tinge, combined with a positive weather forecast as the match progresses would normally provide sufficient information to insert the opposition if fortunate enough to win the toss. Hegg's decision to bat took most people by surprise and appeared to have backfired within the first hours play (34 for 4). However, resilient batting from the middle order and a couple of late wickets will have allowed Warren to sleep easier, and who knows - he might even have the last laugh come Saturday evening!

 

Bowling Performance of the Day

Lancashire only managed 14 deliveries during the first days play owing to bad light and rain. However, during this time Peter Martin removed two Essex batsmen. Paul Grayson completely misjudged Martin's very first delivery of the innings. He failed to offer a shot to a delivery just outside off-stump. The ball nipped back and knocked over off stump with Grayson watching on. 3 balls later, James Foster pushed a rising ball to Haynes at short leg to leave the home supporters in a state of shock. Martin finished with 2 wickets for 3 runs from just 8 balls!

 

Batting Performance of the Day

On his return to Chelmsford, Stuart Law scored 80 runs from 122 balls (13 x 4 & 1 x 6). His innings was extremely invaluable owing to the precarious start to the game for Lancashire. His 50 came from 87 balls. At one stage either side of the luncheon interval, Law failed to score from in excess of 30 deliveries (Stuck on 23) and played through a total of 5 maidens

 

Fielding Performance of the Day

Jamie Haynes held a sharp chance at short leg from the fourth ball of Essex's innings. He dived forward and scooped the ball up just before it hit the grass, reducing the home side to zero runs for two wickets

 

Highlights of the Day

• Hooper dispatching R ten Doeschate for 3 successive boundaries in the 16th over.
• Peter Martin's opening over - super revenge following his unjust dismissal.
• Stuart Law's innings of 80 (4) Chris Schofield's positive return to first team cricket - 35 not out

 

Lowlights of the Day

• Finding out that Lancashire had won the toss and selected to bat
• The team selection and the subsequent batting order
• The tame collapse to 66 for 5

 

Contentious Discussion Points of the Day

• Why did Lancashire choose to bat first?
• Mark Chilton's dismissal was very suspect - no contact with the ball but a "Click" noise generated by hitting the pad
• Peter Martin's dismissal - never leg before wicket - yes he was back in the crease but the ball was far too high.
• Why did Lancashire choose to play Jamie Haynes as a specialist opening batsman? - surely it would have been a better option to open with Swann and Chilton and select an up and coming youngster (Currie?) to fill the number 6 role.

 

Key Notes of the Day

• Lancashire won the toss and elected to bat
• Start delayed by 30 minutes due to very light rain
• Swann lbw b Brant 7 - 11 for 1 in the 5th over - Haynes 4*
• Loye caught Grayson bowled Dakin 5 - 22 for 2 in the 8th over - Haynes 10*
• Haynes bowled Brant (off stump) 12 - 30 for 3 in the 11th over - Law 6*
• Chilton caught Foster bowled Brant 0 - 34 for 4 in the 13th over - Law 10*
• 53 for 4 in the 16th over - Hooper 16* Law 13*
• Hooper bowled Dakin (Played -on) 18 - 66 for 5 in the 24th over - Law 22*
• Lunch 70 for 5 from 26 overs - Law 23* Chapple 0*
• 100 for 5 in the 36th over - Law 38* Chapple 15*
• 50 partnership - 117 for 5 in the 39th over - Law 49* Chapple 21*
• Law 53 from 87 balls (8 x 4 & 1 x 6) - 121 for 5 in the 40th over - Chapple 21*
• Chapple 30 dropped Grayson - 147 for 5 in the 45th over - Law 70*
• Chapple lbw bowled Middlebrook 31 - 148 for 6 in the 46th over - Law 70*
• 150 for 6 in the 46th over - Law 71* Schofield 1*
• Law caught R ten Doeschate bowled Brant 80 - 168 for 7 in the 51st over - Schofield 10*
• Hegg lbw bowled Dakin 6 - 179 for 8 in the 55th over - Schofield 15*
• 200 for 8 in the 63rd over - Schofield 28* Martin 8*
• Tea - 203 for 8 in the 64th over - Schofield 28* Martin 9* - Session 133 for 3
• Martin lbw bowled Middlebrook 12 - 212 for 9 in the 66th over - Schofield 34*
• Mahmood bowled Middlebrook 5 - 218 all out in the 68th over - Schofield 35* - 4.55pm

• Grayson bowled Martin (First ball offered no shot ball hit off stump) - 0 for 1 in the 1st over - Hussain 0*
• Foster caught Haynes (Short-leg) bowled Martin (Fourth ball) - 0 for 2 in the 1st over - Hussain 0*
• Bad light and rain stops play at 5.15pm - 6 for 2 in the 3rd over - Hussain 6* Flower 0*
• Rain stops at 6pm and light improves but umpires suspend play for the day
• Essex 3 points, Lancashire 1 point

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Neil Adams http://www.cricketimages.co.uk/adams-report/intro.html)