Date-stamped : 25 Apr95 - 22:38
Benson and Hedges Round 2: Yorkshire v Worcestershire
Headingley, 25 April 1995

Prolific Bevan in control again - Neil Hallam

Yorks (212-4) bt Worcs (208-6) by 6 wkts

A CENTURY from Graeme Hick in  his  first   competitive   innings
since  being  invalided  back from Australia last winter notwith-
standing, it was arguably Yorkshire`s new overseas player, Micha-
el  Bevan, whose performance offered most reassurance at Heading-
ley.

After modest achievement from previous imports, Sachin  Tendulkar
and  Richie  Richardson, and prolonged dithering prior to Bevan`s
recruitment, Yorkshire need richer returns  from the  New   South
Wales left-hander to quell some muttering among the members.

Bevan  looked  eminently  capable  of  providing  them    as  his
sensibly-paced and well-organised unbeaten 83 guided Yorkshire to
victory over last season`s beaten Benson &  Hedges finalists   by
six wickets with more than three overs to spare.

Whereas Hick`s 109 was littered with false strokes and  contained
chances  on  16  and 78, both at Peter Hartley`s expense, Bevan`s
chanceless progress exuded authority to earn him the Gold Award.

Arriving at 31 for two, after Martin  Moxon  had  played  outside
some inswing and Michael Vaughan had chipped to square-leg, Bevan
soon confirmed the impression of quality created by a century  on
his debut against Cambridge University.

He was especially punishing through  the  on-side  and  Yorkshire
were  cruising during a stand of 99 in 24 overs with White, whose
batting did more than his erratic  bowling  to indicate  a   full
recovery from the torn side which forced him home early from Aus-
tralia.

Flirtation outside off stump accounted for  White  before  Bevan,
whose  runs  from 126 balls included eight fours, hoisted Richard
Illingworth for six to carry Yorkshire past a target of 208,  al-
ways vulnerable on an easy-paced pitch.

Worcestershire, having lost the toss, lost Martin Weston  in  the
second  over  to  a pawky jab to first slip, but a solid platform
for acceleration seemed in place following a second-wicket  stand
of 86 in 25 overs.

Curtis fell playing across the line but  Hick,  who  has  shed  a
stone  to  reduce pressure on a damaged disc, reached his century
with a six before calling for an improbable single with the  ball
already in Richard Blakey`s gloves.

Worcester congealed after lunch,  scoring  only  86  runs  in  20
overs,  and  with Gough, in his first game of the season, signal-
ling his recovery from the foot injury which made him another  of
England`s casulaties in Australia, the day could hardly have been
more encouraging for Yorkshire.

The only thing not in full working order was the  hi-tech  score-
board  at  Headingley, out of commission yet again despite having
#10,000 worth of spare parts installed last year.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)
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