EXTRA COVER: A week in Cricket
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Your support makes all the difference.Golden arm (Bowling performance of the week)
Devon Malcolm (Derbyshire)
With a storm about to break over Raymond Illingworth's forthcoming book, repeating the scathing criticisms aimed at him in the winter in South Africa, Malcolm could not have chosen a more opportune moment to propel Derbyshire to a Championship victory at Cardiff on Monday, bowling both fast and straight to return 6 for 52, his best first-class figures for the county.
Hit man (Batting performance of the week)
Trevor Ward (Kent)
A chanceless innings of 161, including 112 in fours, enabled the 28-year- old Ward to keep Kent in the match against Yorkshire at Canterbury on Saturday, leading his side to 299 all out, only 51 behind. It was Ward's 22nd first-class century but his first against Yorkshire. Without his contribution, Kent would have been in trouble - the rest of the side totalled just 108 runs.
Team of the week
1 Nick Knight Warwickshire
2 Philip Weston Worcestershire
3 Trevor Ward Kent
4 Graham Thorpe Surrey
5 Mal Loye Northamptonshire
6 *Mike Watkinson Lancashire
7 Chris Lewis Surrey
8 Adrian Aymes Hampshire
9 Peter Martin Lancashire
10 Min Patel Kent
11 Devon Malcolm Derbyshire
Quote of the week
"I was not sure what to expect from my body this season but so far it has gone fantastically." How Chris Lewis saw his return to the England fold.
Rain check
Hours lost to rain during the County Championship
1 Somerset 31
2 Derbyshire 24.2
3 Northamptonshire 23.6
4 Sussex 22.5
5 Kent 22.3
6 Durham 22
7 Middlesex 20.5
8 Leicestershire 19.5
9 Glamorgan 16.7
10 Gloucestershire 16.3
11 Surrey 15.9
12 Essex 15.7
13 Worcestershire 14.8
14 Lancashire 14.2
15 Yorkshire 12.8
16 Hampshire 11.7
17 Nottinghamshire 11.3
18 Warwickshire 10
Butter fingers
Richard Bates (Notts)
To put down one catch may be regarded as a misfortune, but when Bates, fielding at backward point, let Mike Watkinson off the hook on 99 at Trent Bridge, he had already dropped him in the slips on six. The Lancashire captain, opening in the Sunday League for the first time, cracked seven sixes, rattling up 121 off 75 balls before the 23-year-old caught him at the third attempt.
Tales of the unexpected
Nick Trainor (Gloucs)
Having failed even to impress his native Durham in trials, opening batsman Trainor might have wondered if he should take up another trade. That he did not may be to Gloucestershire's advantage. On Thursday the 20-year- old rewarded his new county and, presumably, raised a few eyebrows in the north-east, with a mature innings of 67 on his debut against Surrey.
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