Cricket: Gooch masters pitch problems: Martin Johnson reports from Worcester
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Worcestershire 381; Essex 200-3
SADLY, this match has re-confirmed the suspicion that if the England selectors want to find some decent bowlers, they would be better off looking inside a hat shop than a county ground. The bounce in this pitch is roguishly uneven, the ball has seamed around from the outset, and yet both sides have managed totals reflective of far more benign conditions.
Phenomenal batsman though he is, Brian Lara will soon be knocking off 500s before lunch against county attacks, and Graham Gooch, now irreverently known as Fossil in the Essex dressing-room, may not entirely regard Jack Hobbs' record of 100 centuries after his 40th birthday as beyond him if the bowling remains as obliging as Worcestershire's was yesterday.
Gooch was rarely comfortable while compiling his 110th first class hundred here yesterday, as could be deduced from his habit of nodding at the bowler whenever he thinks he has received something halfway decent. Yesterday, his helmet bobbed up and down more often than one of those dogs in the back window of a car, and yet in between the testing deliveries (mostly from Stuart Lampitt) his three-pounder imperiously propelled regular offerings of dross to the New Road boundaries.
Gooch's England career, on the other hand, might remain dependent on his new position at short leg, as his slip fielding currently demands someone standing next to him with reflexes sharp enough to pick up the rebounds. He dropped Steven Rhodes on three and 18 while Rhodes was en route to a four-and-a-half hour 73, and Worcestershire's 381 was around 100 more than Gooch's own estimate of a decent total for the conditions.
When Essex went in to bat, Gooch and John Stephenson put on 105 for the first wicket without ever giving the impression of permanence, and after Stephenson was leg before to Gavin Haynes, the vagaries of the pitch caused the retirements of Paul Prichard with a damaged thumb and Nadeem Shahid, after a blow to the back of the neck attempting to evade a short one.
Gooch is a remarkable character, given to whimsical self-deprecatory comments along the lines that he would feel a bit ancient opening the batting with Methuselah. However, even when he struggles he remains difficult to prise from the crease.
Yesterday's century took him 158 deliveries, included 17 fours and a six, but almost immediately afterwards he chopped a ball from Lampitt on to his stumps.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments