da imperador bet： With Glamorgan improving after a poor start to the season, and Middlesexanxious to take full advantage of their game in hand during Derbyshire’sweek off, this promises to be an interesting contest
Ed Green26-Jun-2002Glamorgan v Middlesex – CardiffWith Glamorgan improving after a poor start to the season, and Middlesexanxious to take full advantage of their game in hand during Derbyshire’sweek off, this promises to be an interesting contest.Glamorgan’s batting has improved in recent games, including theirmagnificent attempt to pass Surrey’s record one-day total in the C&G Trophy,but that improvement is from a very low point indeed. They come up against aMiddlesex side that after Gus Fraser’s retirement was dependent on AshleyNoffke for wickets Now that Abdur Razzaq has taken over as overseas playerresults have slipped. Of the remaining attack Simon Cook has taken 20wickets and Aaron Laraman has shown potential.Middlesex’s batting, unlike that of their hosts, has been immenselyproductive this summer with 22 of a possible 25 points to date with no lessthan seven players averaging over 40. Only Mike Powell can match that forthe Welsh side. That strong batting line-up will provide a test for Testhopeful Simon Jones.Round seven saw these sides battle out a high-scoring, rain-interrupted drawin which Glamorgan gained over half of their season’s batting points. Whythis game and that in the previous round are played in the order they arebemuses me. Then three games took place in London, now none.Gloucestershire v Essex – GloucesterEssex, riding high in the table, come into this game having lost theservices of captain, leading bowler and top run scorer Ronnie Irani, andwill be more heavily dependent than previously on secret weapons, the demonbowler John Stephenson and stand in wicket keeper and Zimbabwean test heroAndy Flower who at 37 and 34 are showing the youngsters a thing or two.Their hosts present a rare challenge to this pair of veterans, as their ownstalwarts, Kim Barnett and Jack Russell, weighing in at 41 and 38, bringeven more experience to the game. It is sometimes suggested that there aretoo many older players on the county circuit, but in fact stalwarts such asthese succeed, and provide entertainment, while being instrumental inhelping to develop younger talents, providing an yardsticks against whichthey can be measured.Both teams are heavily dependent on medium paced bowling, which profits atthe Gloucester ground. When these sides met in round one Alleyne, Barnettand Essex’s Darren Robinson all scored centuries while Ian Harvey claimed6-68.Northamptonshire v Nottinghamshire – NorthamptonA home derby provides the ideal motivation to kick start a stalled season,and Northants, demoted last season and the only side in either division withless points than Yorkshire, need all the motivation they can get coming into this game off the back of five straight defeats – including one by sevenwickets at the hands of their guests.For the home team, the principal difficulty is in the bowling department.Only Carl Greenidge averages under 30, or even under fifty. When all youropponents score 500 plus, it puts unbearable strain on the batting. Even anaverage of one century and two half tons a game has offered no salvation.For Nottinghamshire this first game without Clive Rice is a chance for afresh batting start on a placid track. They will also be looking forward toregistering their first away batting points.Worcestershire v Durham – WorcesterFor Worcestershire nine regular players have so far passed the fifty markand four bowlers (not including Alan Donald) have passed a dozen wickets,but they have lost their last two home games in the championship.The previous game at the Riverside was ruined by the weather. On paperWorcestershire should prosper against the youngest county, but Durham’sbatting has shown increasing resilience. Three draws have followed the threelosses with which they opened the season.Durham’s bowling is led by Davies, Killeen and Collingwood (who is with theEngland one-day squad this week), but no player has yet turned in a five-ferthis summer. Aussie Martin Love has plundered runs in recent weeks,including 251 in their Lord’s run fest. Collingwood’s absence leaves a holein both the batting and bowling for Durham.