Cricket: Extra Cover

A week in cricket

The value of persistence

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

So determined was Nick Trainor that he would make a career in cricket that even the confidence-sapping experience of being rejected by his native Durham did not put him off. He simply went away to work on his game and set about some determined letter-writing. Happily, it paid off. "I played for Durham at every age level up to under-19 and made three 50s and a century in the second XI," he said. "But after that they showed no interest. It was a big disappointment at the time but I went off to South Africa and improved my game a lot. Then I wrote to all the other first-class counties and Gloucestershire were the first to reply."

The Gateshead-born right-hander impressed his prospective new employers with 176 against Hampshire seconds and was delighted to accept the offer of a two-year contract. Now, at just 21 years old, he opens the batting alongside the experienced former captain Tony Wright.

"It was playing in South Africa that made the difference. I've spent the last three winters in the Johannesburg Premier League, which is a good standard. It helped me to improve a lot."

He was the league's highest run scorer last season, totalling 1,300 runs at an average of 70. He is beginning to make an impact at home, too, sharing a record-breaking NatWest partnership with Wright against Scotland last week, with his 121 against the Australians earlier in the month his maiden first-class century.

"That was very satisfying because it was against a Test attack and because I was able to occupy the crease for a long time, for five and a half hours," he says. "As an opener to bat for a long time is always my primary aim."

THE TOP TEN

Michael

Atherton's

top 10

Test scores

185* v S Africa Jo'burg Dec 95

160 v India T Bridge July 96

151 v NZ T Bridge June 90

144 v W Indies Georgetown Mar 94

135 v W Indies St John's April 94

131 v India The Oval Aug 90

118 v NZ Christchurch Feb 97

113 v W Indies T Bridge Aug 95

111 v NZ Old Trafford June 94

105 v Australia Sydney Jan 91

Atherton the century-seeker

The England captain is looking for his first Test century against Australia since his 105 in the third rubber of the 1990-91 series, which the home nation won 3-0. The closest he has been to an Ashes hundred since then was in the second Test at Lord's in 1993, when he was run out, agonisingly, on 99, having made 80 in the first innings. Trent Bridge is comfortably his most productive Test ground. In addition to the scores listed here, he also made 101 against New Zealand there in 1994.

THE WEEK

AHEAD

After so much disruption by the weather, the race for the Britannic Assurance championship still feels like something of a phoney war. But competition is likely to intensify as the leading contenders seek to break clear.

Essex, whose defeat of Derbyshire at Southend puts them a point ahead of Glamorgan and - at least temporarily - Middlesex, will await developments at Headingley today with interest. Middlesex need only to draw to regain top spot but may offer to play forfeits with Yorkshire and go for the win. Essex take on Somerset at Chelmsford in the next round, starting on Wednesday, while Middlesex will hope to take advantage of the slump in Lancashire's fortunes at Uxbridge, a ground where results are hard to obtain but which has been lucky for Mark Ramprakash, who has made hundreds there in each of the last three seasons. Paul Weekes, too, will look forward to going back after making 171 not out and 160 against Somerset last year.

Glamorgan, meanwhile, are due to meet fellow contenders Gloucestershire at Swansea, Kent take on Northamptonshire at Maidstone and champions Leicestershire, undefeated but with only one win so far, attempt to make progress against Yorkshire at Grace Road.

TERMS OF THE GAME

The Dolly Catch

Generally used to describe a ball lobbed gently through the air to provide an easy catch, the origins of the term are unclear although it is thought it might have derived from an Anglo-Indian term in use in the late 19th century, when a "dolly" was a gift of fruit or flowers, usually presented on a tray. In plural form, the stumps have on occasion been referred to as "dollies", to be knocked over as they might be on a fairground amusement.

Run records at risk in Kent's rural slice of living history

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Mote Park, Maidstone

Kent supporters have more than their fair share of agreeable grounds. For some, Mote Park represents the classic rural setting for English cricket, situated within a 550-acre estate that dates back to the 13th century, with a backcloth of trees and an imposing two-storey pavilion.

Originally the home of Mote Cricket Club, it has been a Kent venue since 1859, although it was not in regular use until the beginning of this century, when the playing area was levelled and the wicket moved 90 degrees to its present position.

In the winter of 1909-10 the pavilion was built, with a smaller building that became known as the Tabernacle adjoining it. Originally, this curious structure was built as a private pavilion for Viscount Bearstead, the last private owner of Mote Park, who used it as a kind of hospitality box, entertaining his own invited guests there. The estate was sold to Maidstone Borough Council in 1928. Mote House, constructed in the late 18th century, became a Cheshire Home and the cricket ground was presented to Mote Cricket Club.

Pitches at Mote Park tend to favour the seamers, although the ground has invitingly short boundaries and there have been some notable batting feats in recent seasons. In the fine summer of 1995, Aravinda de Silva and Graham Cowdrey established the highest partnership for any wicket in Kent's first-class history with 368 for the fourth wicket against Derbyshire. De Silva made 255, Cowdrey 137. The same year, Mark Ealham struck nine sixes and nine fours scoring a Sunday League century off 44 balls, the fastest in the history of the 40-over competition.