Date-stamped : 18 May97 - 06:15 Quick reminder from Mullally By Peter Deeley at Southampton First day of four: Leics (2-0) trail Hants (285) by 283 runs AFTER a poor winter on England Test duty, many have ruled out Alan Mullally from Ashes reckoning, but the left-arm quick bowler brought his wickets haul to 13 in three championship innings with another impressive performance for the title-holders. Hampshire have the unfortunate distinction of being the only beaten side in the competition and apart from a bright innings before lunch from Robin Smith they were never on top, with Matthew Hayden lasting only four overs. Smith hit the ball with a ferocity which was reminiscent of his own England days as a prolific scorer up the order - indeed he says he has lost none of his ambition for a return to the Test scene from which he departed 15 months ago in South Africa. But when a large individual score was his for the taking after reaching 46, including nine boundaries, self-reproach overtook Smith when he tried to slash a delivery from David Millns which was too close for his favourite shot. Millns, with nine wickets to date, and Mullally will be the keys to Leicestershire`s attempt to hold on to the championship. The England bowler produced an extremely hostile spell of eight overs in mid-afternoon, conceding only six runs - four of them in no-balls - and taking two more wickets. Then Hampshire made a partial recovery, helped by a partnership of 66 between Shaun Udal and Kevan James. James finished unbeaten on 56 in three-and-a-quarter hours but extras still rivalled him as highest scorer, a half- century which included five sets of boundary byes and 30 in no-balls. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Last spin for Hampshire By Peter Deeley at Southampton Third day of four: Leics (349 & 31-0) need 88 runs to beat Hants (285 & 182) HAMPSHIRE`S slim hopes of a first championship victory this morning rest on their spin pairing of Shaun Udal and Raj Maru following another disappointing show by their batsmen. After seeing the degree of turn and lift gained by Leicestershire`s Adrian Pierson, whose off-breaks brought him four for 58, Hampshire handed the new ball to their slow bowlers. But the Leicestershire openers weathered 16 overs until the weather closed in and the county champions should register their own first win despite the vagaries of this pitch. Matthew Hayden predicted he would score `buckets` of runs against English county attacks but the Australian has yet to show any form. He has now collected 93 in four championship innings and here looked desperately unhappy as David Millns won a leg before decision when the batsman believed the ball had hit his bat. Millns`s career-best unbeaten 114 only underlined the paucity of the home batting on an admittedly unpredictable track. Even Leicestershire`s No 11, Matthew Brimson, equalled his best with 25 in a last-wicket partnership of 75. Then Millns, inspired by his batting prowess, took three wickets as Hampshire almost went down to defeat in three days. Maru showed the fight so many of his colleagues lacked, staying for 1.25 hours and sharing a stand of 43 with Simon Renshaw for the ninth wicket. Leicestershire would have been much closer to victory had they not again been so profligate with their extras - 41 this time to go with 56 in the first innings. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Two Ms are swinging into title mood By Peter Deeley at Southampton Final day of four: Leicestershire (349 & 199) beat Hants (285 & 182) by 5 wickets DAVID MILLNS calls Leicestershire the "Wimbledon of cricket" - no frills, no stars - and yesterday they launched their bid to retain the championship title with a five-wicket win over Hampshire. What they do have on current form, begging Derbyshire`s pardon, is probably the country`s most successful opening attack, yet neither Millns nor Alan Mullally is likely to be high on the Test selectors` list of candidates for the coming Ashes battles. The two have taken 26 wickets in four championship innings: Mullally 14 at just over 18 runs apiece and Millns 12 at 14. But Millns is now 32 and Mullally is still carrying the scars of a winter Test in New Zealand which brought criticism of his waywardness. Yet Jack Birkenshaw, the Joe Kinnear of Grace Road, believes both are hitting optimum form. "Millns is bowling the best I have ever seen from him. He is getting the ball to swing late and causing batsmen heaps of trouble. "When you look at his all-round performances (Millns scored an unbeaten century and took six wickets here) he must be worth a shout." Mullally feels he was unfairly treated in New Zealand where he was dropped after taking three wickets in the Auckland Test. "The night before the next game they came to me and said I was out and Andy Caddick was in - no reason given." The left-armer is proving a difficult customer for county batsmen now he is close to perfecting his round-the- wicket swinging deliveries. "I hope I`m still in the selectors` thoughts, but if neither Millns nor I are picked this summer then we have a goal between us of 160 wickets in the championship - and that should be good enough to give Leicestershire a real shout at retaining the title." Hampshire must have looked at Leicestershire`s two Ms and yearned for a little of the same. Without Cardigan Connor, 36, in his benefit year but currently absent with knee problems, their fast bowlers - Simon Renshaw and James Bovill - showed little penetration. Some members, shaken by two defeats in three games, wonder why the county did not go for an overseas fast bowler instead of Matthew Hayden who has scored only 93 runs in six innings. But the club point out there is precious little international talent available. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)