Date-stamped : 06 Sep97 - 06:08 Caddick reins in Middlesex gallop By Stephen Thorpe at Taunton First day of four: Middlesex (80-3) trail Somerset (241) by 161 runs MIDDLESEX are up on the rails in the championship chase and may have gone part way to shortening the odds for the final run-in. Realistically, perhaps, the limit of their aspirations must lie in placement money, because the outcome of this match is far from a foregone conclusion. Somerset slumped to 65 for four, but were rescued by a work- manlike 71 from Robert Turner, then Graham Rose`s late undefeated 56 off 81 balls, which offered a veneer of defiance to a large- ly uncon- vincing performance. David Graveney, chairman of selectors, dropped in to run the rule over potential winter tour candidates and probably blanched when Phil Tufnell crumpled to the floor, clutching his left kneecap, having failed to accept a fierce caught and bowled chance. No lasting damage was evident, though, and Andy Caddick later confirmed himself as a racing certainty for the Caribbean af- ter three cheap wickets in an opening burst. Jason Pooley and Mark Ram- prakash are no mean performers and Mike Gatting, an- other selector, had a close-up view of this passage, remaining unimpressed by umpire Barry Meyer`s eventual lbw decision. Somerset have missed the tenacity of Richard Harden, and things could have been much worse after winning the toss had Jacques Kallis not missed Turner at slip in Angus Fraser`s second over. Piran Holloway, however, was soon dispatched, offering no shot to Jamie Hewitt, and two balls later Simon Ecclestone`s purple patch turned to grey, David Nash clutching a bat-pad catch tum- bling forward at short leg. Astute captaincy and an awareness of batsmen`s fallibilities earned Mark Lathwell`s wicket, as Nash held another fine catch, low, one-handed, off the meat. Indeed, Ramprakash repeatedly rang the changes during a morn- ing session when Somerset struggled to come to terms with a sug- gestion of swing and movement, but the pitch mellowed after lunch as Michael Burns joined Turner in the first partnership of substance. Kallis has proved a useful back-up seamer, and claimed his 25th championship wicket when Turner, after 12 fours in a dis- ci- plined 3.25-hours, nicked one that left him off the pitch. Burns had gone the previous ball, miscuing to mid-on. Pooley went to his third ball, brilliantly held at short leg, then Ramprakash was cleaned up by a good yorker. Middlesex should have been deeper in the mire, but Marcus Trescothick dropped Gatting at slip before Kevin Shine strangely opted to ex- plore the nether re- gions of the pitch. The former England captain had looked vulnerable outside off-stump and was deeply grateful. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Middlesex grateful for Kallis century By Stephen Thorpe at Taunton Third day of four: Somerset (241 & 174-5) lead Middlesex (236) by 179 runs SOMERSET have made a fair fist of it after Middlesex threat- ened to run away with the match and an intriguing climax is prob- ably guar- anteed today, weather per- mitting. Middlesex were indebted to a splendid round hundred from Jacques Kallis, who batted with immense authority beyond his years on a dusting pitch, as a welcome vestige of summer dis- persed the autumn chill. The South African Test player`s fourth championship century of the season included 14 fours and left him 56 short of a thousand in the competition at an average of 50. They will miss him next year, certainly, though Greg Blewett is of similar vintage. Marcus Trescothick, with only 39 runs in eight previous first- class innings here this year, struck a confident 65 to rescue Somer- set from 74 for four after the top order crumbled again and Graham Rose`s longevity is crucial this morning. Rose is in his benefit year, a time when good form is not al- ways concomitant. But the all-rounder is an exception to most rules and, after receiving -L2,500 from his Taunton area com- mittee, he probably felt duty-bound to deliver something worth- while. His first innings 56 not out was a good start, supplemented yesterday by a testing spell from the river end in the first hour. Three times he ran classic outswingers past Owais Shah without reward, while Kallis took a fancy to Andrew Caddick`s variable length, the bowler responding in time-honoured fash- ion, pawing the front footholds. Kevin Shine replaced him, albeit for just one over which Kallis pulverised for 17 before the adrenalin rush assisted in Shah`s departure, expertly run out by wicketkeeper Rob Turner, who flung off a glove and knocked out the middle stump from short square leg. Mushtaq belatedly joined the attack and soon confounded David Nash before Caddick, dredging extra effort and bounce to counter Kallis`s expansiveness, deservedly drew blood when an outside edge flew low to Piran Holloway at first slip. Keith Brown, who scored 30 not out, seemed like a pariah after lunch as the tail disappeared around him. Richard Johnson`s awful mow at Mushtaq attracted only a thin bottom edge then Turn- er held an- other from Jamie Hewitt, capping a commendable piece of glove work, as Middlesex strained for parity. Mushtaq, the beneficiary when Angus Fraser swiped across the line and Phil Tufnell fell leg before wicket, finished with a season`s best five for 66. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Middlesex title hopes ended by Mushtaq By Stephen Thorpe at Taunton Somerset (241 & 295-8 dec) drew with Middlesex (236 & 187-5) MIDDLESEX`S title aspirations, vague at best, evaporated when they were forced to settle for eight points and a draw chasing 301 in a minimum of 57 overs, a target considered excessive. They were never going to find it easy, of course, against a Test- strength attack of Andy Caddick and Mushtaq Ahmed, and the pair bowled in tandem for long spells, quelling the visitors` spir- it. Phil Tufnell was perplexed beforehand that the ball appeared to go through the top rather than biting on the third evening, but still feared for the damage that Mushtaq might wreak. His suspi- cion proved well founded as the Pakistani leg-spinner claimed four prime wickets and match figures of nine for 137, dodgy knees and all. Mushtaq was on early and had to wait a while before gaining the requisite response from a pitch that generally bore up well. Jacques Kallis had moved almost imperceptibly to another half- century when Michael Burns held a slip catch squeezed off an inside edge and pad, then Mark Ramprakash nicked a perfectly pitched delivery. This was the turning point, and Middlesex shut up shop. Somerset had the worst possible start, losing Burns to the fourth ball of the morning, bowled by Richard Johnson. Then Steve Herzberg (40 not out) proved what a redoubtable cricketer lurks beneath his an- gular frame, sharing in two half-century partner- ships with Graham Rose and Caddick; a timely effort this prior to Somerset`s contract re- views on Monday. Rose eventually lobbed a simple return catch to Tufnell off one that stopped, then Caddick set about the bowling with lan. A quickfire 39 was just what Somerset needed, but he perished in an extraordinary over after lunch, caught at long on by Angus Fraser off a Ramprakash full toss, before Mushtaq engineered 14 from four balls, prompting the declaration. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)