Cricket: Snubbed Smith vents fury

WHATEVER Robin Smith may have really thought about being dropped by England, a decision costing him a cherished chance to appear against the country of his birth at Lord's on Thursday, disappointment would perhaps be the only word in his vocabulary fit for publication.

An alternative way of expressing himself emerged yesterday, though, when he vented his fury on Gloucestershire at Portsmouth, where he fired off nine fours in a 48-run salute besides helping Hampshire to a comfortable five- wicket Sunday League win.

He was dismissive of all the Gloucestershire's bowlers in his 68-ball stay, bar Courtney Walsh, as Hampshire chased a paltry 150 and looked like bringing the match to a premature end until falling to a brilliant catch by Bobby Dawson. Shaun Udal, meanwhile, celebrated his Test squad call- up by returning his Sunday best of the season - 2 for 28 from eight overs.

Explosions also echoed round Scarborough, where an unbeaten 39 from Richie Richardson carried Yorkshire to a dramatic five-wicket victory over Leicestershire, the winning hit coming from the last ball. The West Indies captain plundered his runs from only 26 balls, settling the issue with the last of six fours as Yorkshire chased 183.

Roger Twose smashed the table-topping Warwickshire to an eighth win in nine matches by inspiring a 13-run success over Surrey at Guildford. Twose struck seven sixes and three fours in an unbeaten 96 off 67 balls as Warwickshire cleared the short boundary 11 times in an imposing 249 for 7.