Date-stamped : 14 Jun97 - 14:17 The first day of the Tetley Challenge match at Trent Bridge be- tween Nottinghamshire and the Australians was washed out yes- terday. Meanwhile, at Harrogate it was a question of heads you lose as Durham retained the Costcutter Cup on the toss of a coin. Gloucestershire captain Mark Alleyne called wrong, leaving Durham`s John Morris to accept the trophy and winners` cheque for -L2,500. Rain prevented play and the umpires decided conditions were too dangerous for a single-wicket competition. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Tour Match: Reiffel rapidly fires up his form By Bryon Butler at Trent Bridge Second day of three: Austra-lians (51-1) trail Notts (239) by 188 runs NATHAN ASTLE, of New Zealand, lately of Accrington, and Paul Reiffel, of Australia, who was minding his own business in Melbourne last weekend, were the centrefold figures of the first day of Nottinghamshire`s rain-reduced tilt at the Australians. Astle, recruited by Notts as their overseas player only 12 days ago, made 99 out of 239 - and Reiffel, who arrived on Tuesday to ginger up the tourists` attack, took three for 15 in 10 overs. Australia, at the close, were 51 for one; but whether there is a way or the will, weather permitting, to make anything of the match that lost its first day to rain is a matter for conjecture. Astle, who has three Test centuries to his credit and has al- ready managed a couple of fifties since his hasty move from the Lan- cashire League, was the pillar of an otherwise undistin- guished Not- tinghamshire innings. His first 50 was compact (68 balls, seven fours) but he then began to profit handsomely through the covers. He took only another 41 balls (nine fours) to reach 99 - at which point he misread the length of Glenn McGrath and became one of seven Nottinghamshire batsmen to be caught behind the wicket or in the slips. Reiffel was used sparingly in two spells, but his line and length showed no sign of jetlag. He looked the part on a wicket of uniform bounce but uncertain pace. Astle, 25, said the tourists` attack was "likely to be very useful in English conditions. "They bowled well today," he added, "and Reiffel can obviously do a job for them. He`s consistently on the seam and moves it both ways. He seemed to get straight into his rhythm." McGrath worked hard for his four wickets but Bernard Julian had much of his left-handiwork ignored by the Nottinghamshire batsmen, slanting and bouncing the ball into the gloves of Adam Gilchrist at least three times an over. On a rough count he must have travelled about a mile sending down deliveries which in- volved only him and his dis- tant mate. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Tour Match: Elliott and Waugh plunder centuries By Bryon Butler at Trent Bridge Nottinghamshire (239) drew with the Australians (398-5) THERE was, in the end, nothing remotely challenging about the Tetley`s Challenge match between Nottinghamshire and the Aus- tralians, who devoted the whole of yesterday to some handy bat- ting practice. The first day was rained away after which the Australians dis- missed Notts for 239 in 71 overs and then used the game`s re- maining 95 overs to whack, steer and tickle their way to 398 for five. Batting looked the easiest business in the world. Not- tinghamshire, finally, just looked tired. Matthew Elliott and Steve Waugh both hit centuries, which rarely looked less than inevitable, and Michael Bevan did his cause no harm by reaching 75 not out before the game was aban- doned 20 min- utes early because of more rain. Elliott`s 127 (212 balls, 16, 14 fours) was the main plank of the Australian innings. The Victorian left-hander looked in prime form and completed his second hundred of the tour, the 14th of his ca- reer, by hooking Andy Pick for six. Steve Waugh`s 115 (137 balls, 11 fours) was his first century of the tour and was full of characteristic authority and adventure. But the best blow of the day was by Bevan, who hit a flighty one from Usman Afzaal over the main pavilion. Elliott was bowled by Afzaal, having charged him so extrava- gantly that he could have shaken hands with the bowler, while Steve Waugh fell to a slash too many - caught by Afzaal at cov- er. No attempt was made to manufacture a finish in two days which is both understandable and yet rather sad. About 3,000 spectators were present and all they witnessed was a bright but strictly academic ex- ercise. Only cricket could get away with it. Mark Taylor and Shane Warne return to the Australian side for their game against Leicestershire which begins at Grace Road to- day. Elliott, Steve Waugh and Michael Kasprowicz are rested, but Glenn Mc- Grath plays once more - with Paul Reiffel and Brendan Julian competing again for a place in the Second Test. Reiffel is ahead on points. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)