UFO Info Week-End

He became Cook’s fifth wicket of the innings and the Middlesex seamer had taken

He became Cook’s fifth wicket of the innings and the Middlesex seamer had taken four wickets in the session from just 23 balls – conceding only three runs. Soon after tea, Middlesex polished off the final two wickets, first Mohammed Akram (two) fell to a smart catch in the gully off the bowling of Betts and then McGrath snapped up the Kirtley (nine), again caught at slip by Hutton as Sussex were dismissed for 196. Ian Ward at the other end was fairly methodical in his approach and it was not until the sixth over that he struck his first boundary, clipping Cook – who was struggling with his line from the Pavilion End- off his legs. The first wicket fell in the 17th over when Cook, having switched ends, trapped Montgomerie lbw for 34. The opener was beaten by a ball which swung back and kept low to leave Sussex on 51 for one. Sussex suffered a blow just 15 runs later, as Ward was run out for 28 – it was a disappointing end for the former England opener who looked set for another big score at headquarters. His partner, Tony Cottey called him for a quick single, but he was beaten by a direct hit from Betts running round from midwicket.

Murray Goodwin (six) was out soon after lunch when he drove straight at Ed Joyce at extra cover off the bowling of Ben Hutton. This happened after Melvyn Betts had been dropped in the previous over by Tony Cottey, when on 13. Three balls later, Glenn McGrath was the last man out, beaten by the top-spinner and trapped leg before wicket having scored just four. Opener Richard Montgomerie set off quickly in Sussex’s second innings, hitting successive boundaries in the second over bowled by Cook, one a neat square cut and the other a glorious straight drive. Ben Scott (13) was first to go, caught at forward short leg, as he pushed forward, got an inside edge and the ball looped up to Adams. He took five wickets for 51 runs as the visitors lost their last seven wickets for just 29 runs. The day began well for Sussex, who snapped up the remaining two Middlesex wickets for only 17 runs to give them a first innings lead of 102 – both fell to Mushtaq Ashmed who finished with five wickets for 66 runs.

However, Sussex must have been hoping for a much bigger lead, but they suffered a mid-innings collapse, thanks mainly to Cook. Sussex remain favourites for victory after the third day’s play in the Division One match in the Frizzell County Championship at Lord’s, despite a superb spell of bowling from Middlesex’s Simon Cook.
Going into the final day the game is finally balanced with Middlesex requiring a further 251 runs and Sussex needing to take nine wickets if either side are to achieve victory. The Beverley D contains runners from the big two in Europe, Crimson Palace for Godolphin and Necklace for Ballydoyle. The same teams are represented by Vespone and Powerscourt respectively in the Arlington Million, in which Neville Callaghan also runs Magistretti.Frankie Dettori will slip on the sleeping blindfold on the overnight flight to be back in time to ride Kheleyf for Godolphin in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. Six Perfections, the winner 12 months ago, will be hard to beat, especially as the ground appears to have turned against Britain’s monster filly, Mark Johnston’s Attraction..

The best treated of all on this occasion appears to be Traytonic (nap 2.05), who was not allowed to show his true worth in a barging match of a contest over course and distance last time.The really big bucks this weekend though are to be found abroad, starting in Chicago tonight. This is one of few notable dashes that David Nicholls has failed to collect, a fact which can be rectified today as he saddles the promising pairing of Machinist and Merlin’s Dancer (next best 3.15).Newmarket’s most valuable offering is its first, in which several regular combatants take on each other once again. However, more thoughtful conclusions lead us to Babodana (2.50), who has looked as though he would appreciate a drop to seven furlongs for some time now.The rains have also visited Ripon, where they fighting to preserve the Great St Wilfrid Handicap. “I am just hoping it is not too testing at Newbury because I would rather it was good ground for his first start back, but you can’t have everything.”The card’s other Group race, the Hungerford Stakes, is notable in that it provides a first ride at Group level for Lisa Jones, whose mount, Duck Row, sounds as though he should be at home in the conditions. He has been lightly campaigned through his career as he has had a few training hiccups along the way, but he has never lost his enthusiasm and is very game and consistent.”Soft going was once considered an anathema to Mubtaker (3.25) Until last October at least. “In the past, when he appeared not to handle soft ground, it might have been because he had a tougher race the time before, but he handled it at Longchamp,” Tregoning added. So the prospect of trying conditions this afternoon is not as dreadful as it might have once been.