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Cricket Manager

(by John Ward at Chelmsford)

Rain washes out first day

PLAY ABANDONED FOR THE DAY

Although the rain has now stopped and the sun is attempting to come up, play has been officially abandoned for the day!

RAIN DELAYS START

A light drizzle, becoming steadily heavier, prevented play before lunch at Chelmsford on the first day of Zimbabwe's last match before the First Test, and made prospects of any play later in the day highly dubious. Zimbabwe were expected to select their provisional Test team for this match, with the exception of Heath Streak, who is expected to be fit for the Test beginning next Thursday, according to manager Dan Stannard.

More rain as Zimbabwe continue innings

PLAY ABANDONED FOR THE DAY

At 5pm, with the drizzle still coming down steadily, play was officially abandoned for the day with Zimbabwe on 143 for four. Two days' play remain - or whatever part of them is left after the weather has taken its share.

ZIMBABWEANS 143/4 (FLOWER 23, JOHNSON 45)Runs came slowly for about fifteen minutes after lunch, then Flower pushed Law gently through extra cover for four, just as a gentle drizzle began. The players soon strolled off the field, unconcerned about getting soaked. The score then was 115 for four (Flower 22, Johnson still 19).

The drizzle continued for a while but did no lasting damage, so play began again at 3.30, albeit in dismal light. Flower did not pick up Thompson's pace straight away, getting him away for a 'Chinese cut' for a single; Johnson pierced the gloom and the field more effectively with a cover drive for four. At the other end, against Law, he snicked just wide of second slip for four. He then followed one outside off stump, just failing to get a touch. Both batsmen took advantage of any wide deliveries, with Johnson getting threes with strokes through the covers, midwicket and square leg, and a lashing cut for four, drawing well ahead of Flower. Then a light drizzle began again and the players strolled off again, to take an early tea.

LUNCH - ZIMBABWE 109/4 (FLOWER 17, JOHNSON 19)

After the abortive first day of the match, day two dawned cloudy but brighter. True to form, though, the cloud cover became heavier as the zero hour of 11 a.m. approached and everybody looked to the skies in trepidation. The toss was taken, and Essex won the toss and put the Zimbabweans in to bat. Play began under gloomy skies.

Grant Flower pushed the first ball of the match, bowled by Ricky Anderson, into the covers and the batsmen scuttled a rapid single. Trevor Gripper had a lucky escape as he snicked the fourth ball at a comfortable height to the right of Nasser Hussain, who put out down, but he failed to profit. After another single by Flower, Gripper drove uncharacteristically and expansively at the burly paceman David Thompson and snicked again; wicket-keeper Barry Hyam made no mistake. The foot was not there and neither, it seemed, was the brain, giving the impression that this could be another day of incompetence for the tourists, similar to their Canterbury Trials. Zimbabwe 2 for one.

Flower and Murray Goodwin made it clear that the policy was to keep the score moving in singles. Anderson and Thompson, both London-born black players, are inexperienced but bowled with commendable accuracy on the whole, although Thompson did prove more expensive when straying on to the batsmen's pads. Zimbabwe got a bonus five runs when Hyam, diving to save a leg-side delivery to Thompson, palmed the ball on to the fielder's helmet behind him. The first boundary came when Goodwin guided a rising ball from Anderson between slips and gully to vacant third man; at the other end he slashed Thompson past cover for four. The bowling began to lose direction now, and Anderson gave way to Danny Law, an 'unfulfilled talent', as one of the locals rather charitably labelled him.

Thompson was perhaps the bowler who should have been removed, as off successive balls Goodwin slashed him over cover for four, over point for six and then cut him backward of point for a third boundary. Remarkably, Thompson was kept on for another over, but he did bowl rather better at Grant Flower. Anderson then took a spell in his place and bowled a fine over, moving the ball away and giving Flower a testing time. Flower, struggling for runs, then hurriedly tried to take evasive action against a sharp lifter from Law that went between bat and body, but was still given out caught at the wicket by umpire Evans for 10; Zimbabwe 51 for two.

Law continued to bowl some testing deliveries, especially to Alistair Campbell, enjoying some assistance from the pitch. Campbell finally got off the mark by lobbing a ball, perhaps off the glove, just clear of the keeper, and it ran for four. Next over he suddenly saw one well enough to on-drive handsomely for four; an over later a gentle dab to midwicket reached the boundary. Anderson was still bowling well, and he produced a superb inswinging yorker to remove Campbell's middle stump for 13; Zimbabwe 68 for three.

Goodwin has something of a habit of throwing his wicket away foolishly after losing a partner, and he duly obliged Essex; after a single by Andy Flower, he hooked Anderson almost straight down the throat of Peter Such at long leg to depart for 29. Zimbabwe, it seemed, were intent on reproducing their Canterbury form. Briefly the sun tried to come out, but after a quick look at the Zimbabwe batting decided to return to hibernation.

Andy Flower nudged Law to the third-man boundary, the nearby fielder refusing to indulge in any heroics by making an effort to save it, and was soon tucking the ball away in his best style. Neil Johnson looked uncomfortable and got off the mark with a very dangerous slice that just cleared cover, but by now Anderson's line had gone to pieces. Law also became erratic, and the two left-handers could settle down to collecting ones and twos with impunity - Essex had clearly failed to press home their advantage. Thompson returned, in company with off-spinner Tim Mason, but runs continued to flow steadily. A half-volley from Mason allowed Johnson to overtake Flower with one of his favourite drives to the extra-cover boundary, and at lunch Zimbabwe were pulling back a little with 109 for four (Flower 17, Johnson 19).

Zimbabwe 315; Essex 117/3 (Hussain 17, Irani 13)

After allowing less than three hours' play on the first two days of the match, the weather appeared in a mellower mood on the third morning, with the clouds light and the sun often shining through a little weakly. Zimbabwe began on 143 for four (Andy Flower 23, Neil Johnson 45).

Ricky Anderson was again the most impressive of the Essex bowlers, moving the ball sharply into the left-handers, and he was to finish the innings with a bag of five wickets. He was never quite accurate enough tomaintain consistent pressure, though. Johnson shovelled him over his shoulder to the fine-leg boundary to reach his fifty, which came off 69 balls, but David Thompson was the more erratic and expensive of the two. Anderson moved one back in to Flower (30), got it to lift, and he was given out caught at the wicket playing back to the ball almost at chest height.The partnership had added 99 and Zimbabwe were 168 for five. Two balls later, without another run scored, Anderson bowled a full-length delivery, swinging away then cutting in, to beat Stuart Carlisle's slightly crooked bat and remove his leg stump.

Anderson almost struck again next ball, hitting Guy Whittall on the pad, from which the ball rebounded and appeared to nudge the leg stump without knocking a bail off. Whittall survived a superb over withdifficulty. He soon settled down to enjoy his favourite pull shot, and also drove overpitched deliveries profitably.

Johnson brought up the 200 by stepping down the pitch to Such and driving him high over long-on for six. Whittall also got stuck into the spinner, driving over-pitched deliveries through the covers for two and four. Such struck back, though, as Johnson moved too far across his stumps and was hit on the back pad, to be given out lbw for 83; Zimbabwe were now 217 forseven. He was the only batsman in the team so far in a disappointing team performance to have passed 30. Dirk Viljoen also fell without addition to the score, driving over a full-length ball from Such, to be struck probably on the boot and also given out lbw,

Whittall put up a good fight with Henry Olonga as his latest partner, attacking generally with discrimination despite being dropped at square legwhen 31. At lunch Zimbabwe were 241 for eight.

This unexpected partnership was to add 72 valuable runs, although they batted as if the main objective was to occupy the crease for as long as possible. Olonga played a fine supporting role, waiting for the right ball and then letting fly powerfully. They profited from the second new ball, which Anderson did not use well, but Whittall inexplicably slowed downalmost to a halt after reaching his fifty. He was dropped on 51 by Hussain, the England captain's second miss of the innings at slip, but finally, whenon 54, he pushed forward to a good length ball from him and Stuart Law dived to his left at second slip to hold the catch - as one observer suggested humorously, afraid that the catch was going to Hussain and diving in front of him. Zimbabwe were 289 for nine, the pair having added 72.

Pommie Mbangwa astonished everybody familiar with his regular batting by driving Anderson straight, nonchalantly jogging through for the third runas if this was something he did every year. Both these batsmen are genuine rabbits, although Olonga has played the occasional notable innings in the past, but they held up Essex right until the tea interval with a partnership of 26. Olonga reached 45, a new career best, beating his 41 scored in a friendly while touring New Zealand, but umpire David White spoiled the fun, adjudging him lbw as he played across a yorker from Thomson, leaving Mbangwa stranded on 9 not out. The total was 315, but apart from three partnerships it was not a good batting display. Neither was it a particularly inspiring display of bowling or fielding by Essex, although Anderson bowled very well in patches. Tea was duly taken between the innings.

Olonga and Mbangwa had twenty minutes to recharge their batteries before opening the bowling against Paul Prichard and Paul Grayson. They were not at their best, and all the Essex openers had to do was to wait for the right ball and hit it, which they did with some success for a while. Grayson was strong on the drive, while Prichard pulled powerfully anythingshort of a length. Otherwise the pace of the game was quite slow at this stage, with Zimbabwe moving in the field and bowling their overs at a funereal rate, obviously in preparation for the Test matches.

Grayson (15) was the first to go, flashing at a ball from Whittall outside the off stump and edging a catch to the keeper, making Essex 42 for one. Prichard continued to feed off the occasional short ball theZimbabwean bowlers so generously donated him, and it was a surprise when, on 28, he unexpectedly clipped Johnson straight to Gripper at midwicket, and Essex were 52 for two.

Hussain sliced his first four past gully off Johnson, but then seemed to fall into a stupor as Stuart Law looked set to dominate. Mainly by dint of powerful off- and cover-driving, he took his score to 26 while Hussain was still on 5; the latter finally announced that he was still there with two successive drives through the covers for four off Olonga, and then justkept out a fierce yorker next ball.

Dirk Viljoen came on to bowl, only to be cut backward of square for four by Law. Olonga sorted out his line and had two lbw appeals against Hussain off successive balls. Then Law (33) drove rather passively atMbangwa on the off side and was smartly caught by Grant Flower at short extra cover; Essex 104 for three.

Mbangwa beat new batsman Ronnie Irani twice in successive balls with sharp leg-cutters. He pushed a single, though, and then languorously flicked a full toss from Viljoen over midwicket for six, repeating thestroke nest ball as Viljoen repeated the ball. Despite this, less than five minutes later the umpires decided that it was worth offering the batsmen thelight, and like a true professional Hussain was on his way without even the need for a word. Essex were 198 behind with seven wickets in hand.

Zimbabwe draw with Essex

As was always probable, the last day of the rain-ruined match between Essex and the touring Zimbabwean team ended in a draw, meaningless except for theZimbabweans who desperately needed practice time out in the middle.

The only reasonable hope of any non-artificial result in this match, with Essex on 117 for three in reply to Zimbabwe's 315, was for Zimbabwe to skittle thecounty team out quickly enough to enforce the follow-on. Even this was clearly unlikely, as Essex's last seven wickets needed to add only 49 runs in order to ensure a draw, and Zimbabwe's bowlers had not done well enough to inspire anybody to believe they could take 17 wickets in a day. The county kept their more nervy supporters in suspense until after lunch, andafter that it was just middle-wicket practice.

A warm-up full toss from Henry Olonga was coolly dispatched to the long-off boundary by Ronnie Irani, overtaking Nasser Hussain's current score of 17 in the process. Hussain took 13 deliveries to add to this, before he pulled, without timing it properly, a short-pitched ball from Olonga for four to midwicket. In Olonga's next over he tried to lash an off-side ballthrough the covers and was lucky in that the ball exactly bisected the gap between second slip and gully at about knee height, on its way to the boundary.

Apart from this, though, both batsmen spent a time virtually strokeless. Neil Johnson had a close lbw shout against Hussain on 25 turned down; the batsman then tried to hook him but instead skyed a ball high over the square-leg fielder for two. Irani (21) was the man to go, though, trying to pull the wrong ball from Johnson, getting a top edge and skying a simple catch to Olonga at mid-on; Essex 137 for four.

Play became almost becalmed as Hussain and Danny Law plodded along, playing scarcely a shot in anger, while Zimbabwe rotated their four pace bowlers in short spells. Finally Hussain's concentration snapped, as heslashed at a ball from Whittall well wide of the off stump and snicked a catch to the keeper for a dour 33 off 107 balls; Essex were 146 for five and still short of saving the follow-on.

The progress was painful. Time and again Pommie Mbangwa beat Danny Law and Barry Hyam outside the off stump without their getting a touch. Whittall conceded two singles in an over and was replaced by Viljoen. After rattling up 34 runs in 31.5 overs, Essex went in to lunch on 151 for five, still 15 short of saving the follow-on.

Suddenly the floodgates opened after lunch for Essex. Hyam placed Johnson wide of mid-on for three, took a single off Olonga, and then a 'Chinese cut' by Law narrowly missed leg stump on its way to the boundary.He followed this with a carve over the covers for two, and led to much speculation as to what had gone into the home side's lunch.

The follow-on was averted when a leg-side ball from Olonga hit Hyam's foot and scuttled to the fine-leg boundary for four leg-byes. The bowler improved his line two balls later with a fierce yorker that uprooted Hyam's off stump; he made 7 and Essex were 166 for six.

Some determined bowling by Olonga and Johnson had Law and Tim Mason groping, but time and again the batsmen failed to put edge to ball, until Johnson finally found the inside edge of Law's dangling bat, and Andy Flower had no problem in completing the dismissal. Law made 22, and Essex were 182 for seven.

Ricky Anderson surprised everybody, including himself, with a fine drive past extra cover for four. The second new ball was taken, but the bowling was not quite as dangerous by now and the batsmen were able to play with less trepidation and the odd profitable shot. Anderson began to open up, and played a superb drive through the covers on the up off Mbangwa, butthen tried a big swing across the line to the same bowler and lost his leg stump rather spectacularly. He scored 19, and Essex were 212 for eight.

The cricket continued, but contained little interest with a result out of the question and the standard of play by both teams. Johnson had just been voted Man of the Match by the press box, Zimbabwe's top scorer and top wicket-taker, when he dropped a catch at second slip offered by Mason off Mbangwa. Both batsmen got away with some lucky hits and mishits untilThompson (15) drove too early and too softly to be caught and bowled by Dirk Viljoen; Essex 240 for nine.

Peter Such received great applause by pushing Olonga through the covers for two, in deference to his reputation as one of cricket's worst batsmen, and then repeating the stroke next ball for three. The innings finally came to an end at 249 when Mason (22) stepped in front of a ball from Olonga, to be adjudged lbw, leaving Such with a vastly improved career average thanks to his unbeaten 6. Zimbabwe's lead was a pretty meaningless 66.

Zimbabwe went in for their middle wicket practice, maximum 32 overs, after the tea interval. Trevor Gripper got off his pair with a three to long leg and then nudged a leg-side delivery from Thomson to fine leg, but had one or two narrow escapes. Thompson appeared to be wilder than ever, conceding a wide down the leg side that missed the keeper by yards, and aleg-side full toss that Gripper put away to the long-leg boundary. Then came another leg-sider, not quite a wide, but fast enough to beat the keeper again. Anderson bowled better, but the Zimbabwean openers handled him capably.

Grant Flower took a long time to compile two singles, but when Such came on to bowl he used his feet to come down the pitch and hit him into the stand over long-on for six. Shortly afterwards he did the same when Masoncame on to bowl at the other end. The two batsmen continued to play with greater freedom, and indeed Zimbabwe's opening pair did desperately need runs in the middle on the eve of the First Test. Finally, after 17 overs and at 5.22pm, the game was officially called off.


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