Date-stamped : 21 Aug95 - 22:28 Tour Match: Essex v West Indies Chelmsford, 19, 20, 21 August 1995 ====> Day 1, 19 Aug 95 Ilott fails to press home claims - Charles Randall First day of three: Essex (4-0) trail W Indies (366) by 362 runs MARK ILOTT`S first exposure to a full West Indian batting line-up at Chelmsford yesterday turned out as a notable non-success for a new-ball bowler hoping to squeeze into England`s side on Thurs- day. If England announce his name today in the squad for the sixth Test at The Oval, he will be anxious for a chance to convince his many doubters. There must be many who have seen him bowl moderately on television, but millions fewer have seen the `real` Ilott in county cricket. Essex`s opening attack of Ilott and Darren Cousins was scrunched up by the tourists at six an over in the morning, leaving Peter Such - apparently a spinner near the bottom of Ray Illingworth`s list - to bring proceedings out of fantasy mode. Such`s accurate off-breaks dampened down the scoring after the early mayhem caused by Phil Simmons, who had been handing out the blunderbuss treatment to the seam-bowlers on his way to a force- ful 112. Such wheeled away to finish with two for 48 off 24 overs, a very satisfying day`s work when measured against the rapid West Indies scoring rate. There was a flutter of alarm in the evening when Jonathan Lewis was struck on his helmet grille while fielding at silly mid-off to Richard Pearson`s off-spin. Curtly Ambrose`s off-side force did not have the same leverage as Ken Benjamin`s drive against Nick Knight`s head during the recent Test at Trent Bridge, but the blow still smashed off Lewis`s grille and injured his jaw, though he did not require hospital treatment. Ilott was given only nine overs all day - and they were expensive - but this hardly detracted from a good season, which has developed since his two weeks out through injury in June. His Cork-like achievement of nine wickets for 19, with a hat- trick, on his return from injury against Northamptonshire at Lu- ton caught the eye, but there was enough substance under the gloss to have England`s selectors following his form. There is a friendly roast-beef ordinariness about him that leaves little doubt about his commitment to England`s cause. He would easily pass Illingworth`s toe-curl test. The reason for Ilott`s failure to reflect genuine England A and county capability in the Test arena is that he has bowled his left-armers differently. Two years ago, instead of top-class swing-bowling, Ilott produced nothing more than mediocre strike bowling against Australia in his first Tests, as though the andrenalin had affected his judg- ment on live television. Those who watch him regularly on the county circuit would have been shocked, and his only wicket-taking ruse seemed to be the angle of delivery, left-arm over the wicket. His England A tour of South Africa in 1993-94 was reassuring. He recaptured his swing by cutting back to above medium pace in hot, unhelpful con- ditions, and he used a quicker ball successfully for variation only. His ability to dismiss quality batsmen when well set - often with his quicker ball - became a feature in South Africa, and it was a blow to his career that he missed nearly all the England A tour to India last winter through injury. Ilott possibly bowled too aggressively yesterday at the West In- dians on a Chelmsford pitch that was unlikely to be any resem- blance to the pace and bounce of The Oval. Stuart Williams cover-drove Ilott for four off the day`s second delivery and ad- ded another boundary. That was nine off the over, and Cousins`s first also went for nine. When Simmons pulled Ilott for six over midwicket to pass his fif- ty, the cynics began to have visions of Ilott having to report injured with neck ache after all the strokes that had sizzled to the boundary. Such was summoned to bowl the 14th over, by which time the West Indies had 80 on the board and Simmons had his eye on the hundred that eventually arrived off 141 balls. Simmons gave all Essex`s seam-bowlers some contemptuous treatment, but Such`s accurate off-spin reduced him mainly to the prod and sweep. It was absorb- ing cricket for a large County Ground crowd and a blow struck for the spin-bowling fraternity. Keith Arthurton edged a cut for a slickly-made 49, and Such`s next victim was the notable one of Carl Hooper, caught at mid-on for nought. Hooper, captain for this match, must have been hoping wistfully for a replay, or something similar, of his Kent innings at Chelmsford last year which netted him 160 off 149 balls, includ- ing six sixes and a broken window. Simmons, enjoying himself as a fill-in player without any chance of selection for the Test side, was bowled attempting to force Ronnie Irani. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com) ====> Day 2, 20 Aug 95 Gooch plays tortoise to Simmons` hare - Charles Randall Second day of three: West Indies (366 & 106-0) lead Essex (300-4) by 172 runs GRAHAM GOOCH, the veteran of so many battles at the crease against the West Indies, made a nostalgic 109 to please another large crowd at the County Ground yesterday. This at last was a day when Essex`s favourite son did not have his chin threatened by flying red leather, and he was able to re- tire at tea-time with a migraine that had nothing to do with bowler-induced anxiety. As a cash collection for Gooch`s testimonial had been circulat- ing, he had probably lingered over the pavilion count-up, because he emerged to field fresh and cheerful an hour later. After Darren Robinson had had his off stump removed in the day`s first over, Gooch saw off the West Indians` opening attack care- fully, and he was then presented with a choice of seven more bowlers, the promised land for an old lag who had announced his retirement from international cricket. He survived a glaring stumping chance at 94, the only real blem- ish, and contributed to a thrusting day for Essex. The highlight was a partnership of 134 in 28 overs with Nasser Hussain as the softer underbelly of the West Indians` attack became exposed. The West Indians might be jaded and their county games low-key, but the glory and extravagance of their strokeplay has enter- tained consistently, with Chelmsford yesterday no exception in the last Tetley Challenge game of the tour. Phil Simmons, who must have advanced his West Indies World Cup prospects with a powerhouse 112 on Saturday, swatted Mark Ilott and the Essex seamers away unerringly. One would hate to be a wasp with this fellow around. Simmons hoisted his fifty off 38 balls, more than twice as quick- ly as Saturday`s, and he made Gooch, with his 120-baller, look a real plodder. Gooch batted for four hours and 40 minutes for his third hundred in consecutive matches. It was his sixth in a relatively uneven season, and the 119th of his distinguished career. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com) ====> Day 3, 21 Aug 95 Essex missing the magic - Charles Randall West Indies (366 & 260-0) drew with Essex (300-4 & 201-6) THE magic moment award covering the whole West Indies county pro- gamme went, perversely it seemed, to Essex County Cricket Club yesterday for supplying the biggest three-day attendance of the tour. This suggested that rival moments outside Tests had been all too fleeting, though Julian Thompson, in his third first-class ap- pearance for Kent, must have wondered if dismissing Brian Lara twice for the first Andy Roberts, West Indies` coach, was adjudi- cator. Phil Simmons, though hardly a magician, provided most of the best moments yesterday with his second hundred of the match for the West Indians before the game drifted to a draw. Last year Simmons, in county colours, shoved Essex to an innings defeat at Leicester with an assertiveness in his 86 that would have been familiar yesterday during his 139 not out as a fill-in tour batsman. Graham Gooch led Essex to a blazing start in reply, putting on 73 with Darren Robinson off 14 overs The Chelmsford three days attracted a total of about 18,000 spec- tators for the final Tetley Challenge series game, which was cer- tainly a good showing, and the West Indies management appreciated Essex`s gesture of fielding a strong side. As Simmons would not be considered for the Oval contest against England, the main significance lay in the fitness of Curtly Am- brose, who looked fast and relaxed during his 11 overs. The decision to open the second innings with Shivnarine Chander- paul had suggested the little Guyanese left-hander would be keep- ing his Test place, and his 103 not out seemed to confirm it. Simmons carted Peter Such for two consecutive sixes and somehow persuaded the off-spinner to tread on the ball fielding a return hit, which almost sprained an ankle. The 260 opening partnership was the highest of the tour. Ambrose did not bowl at all yesterday during Essex`s laboured pursuit of 327 to win off 60 overs, preferring to stand at slip. Graham Gooch led Essex to a blazing start in reply, putting on 73 with Darren Robinson off 14 overs. This raised hopes that were never realised. Gooch kept losing the strike, reaching 50 off 68 balls in almost two hours, and he on-drive a catch three balls later. The Tetley bowling award went to Gloucestershire`s Kamran Sheeraz for his 11 wickets. John Carr, 115 out of 237 for Middlesex, took the batting, and Paul Thomas, the Worcestershire fast bowler, was the most promising newcomer. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by The Management (help@*ogi.edu)