Cricket: Chapple answers Lancashire prayers

Aug 30 2007 by Paul Edwards, Liverpool Daily Post

FIRST-CLASS cricket has been played at Canterbury’s St Lawrence Ground for 160 years and the history of the place is strewn with match-changing performances.

Thanks to the Lancashire all-rounder Glen Chapple there is now another to add to the proud list.

Just when his side’s hopes of securing any sort of first-innings lead appeared to be faltering, the Skipton-born batsman produced a magnificent display of clean hitting, striking five sixes and ten fours in a thunderous run-a-minute innings of 88 which took just 81 minutes to complete.

At the start of Chapple’s innings spectators at the Nackington Road had already placed rugs on the windscreens to protect the players from the glare.

Half an hour later anxious motorists were probably searching for something rather more robust with which to guard their vehicles.

From being poorly-placed on 179 for 5 when Chapple arrived at the crease, Lancashire were 297 for 6 when he inside-edged Mark Saggers onto his off-stump and Mark Chilton’s side had reached 316 for 8 by the close-of-play when this fluctuating game was evenly poised with two days left.

Lancashire may be pleased to be only 11 runs behind Kent with two wickets left.

However, their hopes of forcing a victory may be hampered by Muttiah Muralitharan’s upper arm injury, which may prevent him bowling again in this game.

Yesterday evening, though, most spectators were talking about Chapple. James Tredwell, the main sufferer of his onslaught, was dispatched for 48 of all-rounder’s first 52 runs, 30 of them coming in the shape of straight sixes.

Chapple’s 88 completely dominated his partnership of 118 with Stuart Law who can rarely have been so completely overshadowed.

However, the slow bowler had his revenge on the Old Trafford side late in the day when he bowled Law and had Dominic Cork stumped.

The morning could scarcely have begun better for Lancashire or, indeed, for Chapple. The seamer had Kent’s centurion Matthew Walker caught at second slip when he had added only three to his overnight score and Oliver Newby accounted for both Simon Cook and Martin Saggers to dismiss the home side for 327 all out.

Paul Horton and Mark Chilton batted serenely, if slowly, to add 64 in 27 overs before lunch, Horton hitting five fours in his 31 not out.

However, the Liverpool-based batsman’s contribution ended on 37, and in sloppy fashion too, when he cut Mark Saggers straight to substitute fielder Warren Lee at point.

Lancashire’s position deteriorated markedly as the afternoon progressed – then Chapple went in to bat.