Date-stamped : 14 Sep97 - 06:10 Pooley applies pressure By Stephen Thorpe at Lord`s First day of four: Middlesex 283-5 v Nottinghamshire JASON POOLEY fell two short of his first century of the summer as Middlesex strove to maintain a stake in the championship placement money. The left-handed opener had struggled after su- perceding Paul Weekes, who was averaging just 13 in mid-August, but he has tightened his technique considerably, and applied himself well over 4.5 hours. The strip, high on the square and used twice in the champi- onship already this year, played equably enough after Middlesex won the toss, the only distraction on a soporific morning emanat- ing from the media centre construction work at the Nursery End. Jacques Kallis seemed set for another long residence but was adjudged lbw, working across a ball from left-armer Chris Tolley which pitched on leg stump. The Nottinghamshire seam attack, bland in the extreme, laboured after lunch as Mark Ramprakash at last opened up, square driving Mark Bowen, flicking a half- volley to the short mid- wicket boundary and punching another four off the back foot through extra cover in the space of four balls. Pooley, too, increased the tempo to reach only his third cham- pionship half-century, then Ramprakash reached his own, his 11th this season with a flowing cover drive. Not even a lack of ground staff to manipulate the sight screen at the building site end could disturb Middlesex`s equilibrium; they were seeing it like a football anyway, but it was no real surprise when Ramprakash took his leave. The captain has developed a strange affliction for setting off like a startled rabbit after every defensive push, and from one such sortie he almost ran himself out, Tolley`s throw from mid- off only a whisker away. The move is calculated to annoy field- ers, of course, as much as stealing a run, but batting partners can also be disconcerted if empathy is not well tuned. Now Ramprakash, having flicked one to square leg, was sent back by Pooley while Paul Johnson fired a splendid flat throw in- to the single stump visible. Pooley eventually charged the off-spinner, Richard Bates, then Mike Gatting was yorked by Paul Franks after a painstaking 33. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Shah and Tufnell give Middlesex whip hand By Stephen Thorpe at Lord`s Second day of four: Notts (116-4) trail Middlesex (430-8dec) by 314 runs MIDDLESEX hold the whip hand after Owais Shah`s coming of age and Phil Tufnell`s damaging late spell but the pitch may yet have the final say. Shah scored his maiden first-class century, an un- defeated 104 in five hours, which included 13 fours and a six and emphasised a temperament of the highest order. Conditions were doubly favourable, of course, a placid track and moderate bowling, and his at- tacking flair flickered but briefly, notably when reaching his second half-century of the season, delaying a drive through midwicket at the top of the bounce. Middlesex, 283 for five overnight, lost Keith Brown to a top- edged sweep, caught by Chris Tolley at long leg, while Shah con- tin- ued in his deliberate first day vein. The 18-year-old right-hander has it in him to become a real player of substance as his rapid exposure last winter and up- coming A tour would indicate. The basics are already set in stone - compact and utterly correct in defence, he remained un- ruffled by a lack of scoring opportunities, and moved inex- orably past a previous career- best, 77 here against Hampshire five weeks ago. Paul Johnson, the Nottinghamshire captain, led by example in the field and finally saw sense in removing the tedium of seam from the Nursery End. The young left-arm spinner, Usman Afzaal, soon claimed James Hewitt, caught at midwicket by Johnson, then Angus Fraser cel- ebrated his return to the England fold by long- handling Middlesex be- yond 400. Richard Bates, the offspinner, was levered mightily over mid- wicket for six and Fraser slogged Afzaal straight for a brace of fours before Wayne Noon stumped him by yards. It was a welcome counterpoint to Shah`s stoicism, however, but the tyro probably harboured mis- givings about the tail`s ability to partake of the milestone. No wor- ries; Tufnell`s batting has a more serious edge these days. Nottinghamshire adopted a similar approach at the outset, the openers, Matthew Dowman and Tim Robinson, occupying 30 overs before separation. Dowman, the left-hander, looked solidly con- fident, as well he might after 340 runs in his last six knocks, but Tufnell trapped him lbw for 28 then brushed Tim Robinson`s outside edge on the forward de- fensive. Johnson is not a man to be cowed for long, though, and he soon opened his shoulders at Jacques Kallis only for Jason Pooley to pouch a stinging catch at second slip. Tufnell snatched his third wicket, for just nine runs in 24 balls, when Guy Welton had no answer bar another outside edge to one which looped and held back. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Middlesex hopes rest on Tufnell By Stephen Thorpe at Lord`s Third day of four: Notts (210 & 93-2) trail Middlesex (430-8 dec) by 127 runs NOTTINGHAMSHIRE must bat uncommonly well today if they are to de- ny Middlesex a seventh victory. Needing 220 to avoid an innings defeat after following on, they lost both openers, Tim Robinson and Mathew Dowman, and the wiles of Phil Tufnell remained pivotal on an unresponsive pitch. The England left-armer took five for 61 in the first innings and enjoyed wholehearted support from the South African, Jacques Kallis, who finished with four for 39. Chris Tolley (42) seemed intent on surpassing the follow-on target on his own in the morning as a series of handsome shots scorched through cover and Wayne Noon also shored up an end in relative comfort before running himself out on 39. A downpour at lunch eventually cost 25 overs and Notts sat tickled pink over trout - less so when Tufnell required just one ball on the restart to dismiss Mark Bowen. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Gatting still lording it By Paul Weaver at Lord`s Middlesex (430-8 dec & 12-0) beat Nottinghamshire (210 & 228) by 10 wkts IT IS at this time of year, with the leaves turning brown and Mike Gatting`s beard a little whiter, that the speculation be- gins: will the famous gourmet and former Neasden ballroom dancer return next year? Gatting is 40 and after 23 seasons at Lord`s is no longer the pugnacious power he once was. But the signs are that he will decide to carry on next season and everyone is delighted by the prospect. In a side a little too dependent on its captain Mark Ram- prakash for runs Gatting is still more than worth his place in the side. In the match against Nottinghamshire, which Middle- sex eventually won by 10 wickets late yesterday afternoon, he passed 1,000 runs in the season for the 18th summer. With a match to go he has 1,012 at a most respectable average of 40.48. This most unselfish of team players also appears to be enjoy- ing his cricket but he will surely fail in his Holy Grail quest to score a century of first-class centuries. He started the season with 90 but after knocking off a couple more early in the season he has failed to reach three figures for more than three months. Gatting was not required to bat a second time yesterday. Mid- dlesex, needing just nine for victory, hit them off in the first over, thanks to those makeshift opening batsmen Angus Fraser and Jamie He- witt. Notts, following on, resumed on 93 for two yesterday, needing to reach 220 to make Middlesex bat again. Their situation was hope- less. But just when someone was needed to make a futile ges- ture there was a whole team lining up to make a fight of it. Middlesex did not break through until 14 overs and 55 minutes play. Captain Paul Johnson and Guy Welton carried their third- wicket stand to 82 before Tim Bloomfield bowled Welton. The impressive Bloomfield broke through again four overs later when he had Johnson lbw. When Notts lost their fifth wicket, that of Chris Tolley just be- fore lunch, it seemed that Middlesex would win in less than half the day. But then they were held up by Kevin Evans and Paul Franks be- fore Jacques Kallis returned to end the resistance. Franks, who batted for 110 minutes for his 19, was ninth out when Owais Shah took the catch at third slip. It was the last wicket to fall. The Notting- hamshire innings ended at 228 for nine with Mark Bowen retiring hurt after taking a blow on the hand. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)