Cricket: Nottinghamshire minds wandering

Nottinghamshire 152

Yorkshire 144-5

AUTUMN and its farewells arrived here early yesterday. Sachin Tendulkar may be playing his last match for Yorkshire, while Nottinghamshire, despite having a game in hand on Essex, played as if they were already thinking of next spring.

Yorkshire have had a frustrating summer. Tendulkar had no sooner arrived than the Indian Board began planning for a 1993 midsummer tour; then they asked him to be released for the last match of this season, in order to tour South Africa; now they want Tendulkar back in Bombay for the Duleep Trophy competition, which, apparently, they see as a Test trial.

Why Tendulkar should be needed to play in a Test trial is something only the Indian Board can answer.

However, Yorkshire did bowl out Nottinghamshire for 152 in 56 overs yesterday, after they had elected to bat first on a pitch a little faster than usual. Paul Jarvis was again hostile but unlucky, while Peter Hartley took three wickets for five runs in 16 balls.

The innings was rescued from 34 for 4 by a stand of 103 in 29 overs between Graeme Archer, 22, a Cumbrian playing his first Championship match, and Chris Cairns.

The New Zealander used his eye and massive swing powerfully, hitting three sixes, one off Phil Carrick sailing out of the ground. Archer's neat 27 was later augmented by a brilliant slip catch to remove Tendulkar.

Jeremy Batty's first ball had been swept for four, his second had Cairns caught behind as he went back to cut, and his sixth had Greg Mike caught at slip. Archer was caught in Robinson's next over.

Simon Kellett was then given two lives before Bradford Academy graduate, David Pennett, first wrecked Moxon's stumps and then yorked Kellett. Eddie Hemmings exerted a grip and Cairns found some high bounce in the twilight.