There is no need to mention peanuts and monkeys.Counties no to longer want nor need matches against touring sides. history Tourists need practice report between international matches, as history well as shorter tours report htm and fewer fixtures for less wear and tear on the players. MCC, Minor Counties and British Universities would provide more challenging games.Moody, the Worcestershire Introduction captain, did not report bother to bat as his team, htm 91 ahead overnight, added htm 36 runs in 35 minutes, Steven Rhodes completing a half-century to boost his benefit season.Ajay Jadeja and Vikrant Rathore, India's experimental openers, then Introduction took the to opportunity of assembling a stand history Introduction to of 146 against the county's journeymen seamers, Paul Thomas and Almagir Sheriyar.The faithful Stuart Lampitt eventually broke through by persuading Rathore, htm history Introduction to voted man of the match for his 165 and 72 in his first tour game, to pull to deep square leg.. Round-up Graham Gooch accumulated more records yesterday, some more significant than others. When four short of his century against Hampshire, the 121st of his career and his fifth in his last six innings against Hampshire, he became the 12th highest scorer in cricket history, overtaking Colin Cowdrey's 42,719. After the home side batted on to reach 539, Essex report reached 209 for history 2 at the close with Gooch unbeaten report htm on 121.Somerset's Graham Rose followed up his Introduction six wickets in the to first innings against Nottinghamshire with six more in the second innings at Taunton. Had Worcestershire won, Tetley's would have added pounds 7,500 to their players' pool, about half of Stan Collymore's reputed weekly wage. Various sponsors have attemp- ted to spice up the competition by offering money prizes.

The Indians made little complaint, but hinted that they were disappointed. Houghton responded: "We've lost four competitive matches and needed to get into nick My job is to win competitive matches This is a practice match. They went into this match with two seamers and two leg-spinners. What sort of a target would they have set us?" The question was rhetorical, but with Thursday's double centurion, Graeme Hick, and the Australian, Tom Moody, available, in these conditions even Damon Hill might have been overtaken.As it happened, two breaks for rain, losing 10 overs, would have upset the run-rate target sufficiently to have ruled out a result, but what will worry the TCCB, and the sponsors, Tetley's, is that the counties are seeing the concept of "making a game of it" as faded as an Edwardian seaside postcard.Today the Indians visit Glou-cestershire, who will field a team without Courtney Walsh, their captain and overseas professional, and Jack Russell, their England wicketkeeper. The future of matches between touring teams and the counties was put in doubt yesterday by a frank admission from Worcestershire's Zimbabwean coach, Dave Houghton. Worcestershire batted on into the last day of the three-day fixture, the declaration not coming until they had batted 117 overs, to India's 92 - a lead of 127 with only a little over five hours' play left On this flat pitch, the match was dead. A bowler of his ability is always going to have a big effect on the number of wickets which fall at the other end..

He had a lovely, smooth approach to the wicket, a classical action and follow-through, and he bowls from close to the stumps, which makes his bouncer difficult to play He hit both Athey and Law on their helmets. Pollock also bowls an excellent off-stump line.Although Reeve took two wickets to Pollock's one in his opening spell, Pollock's influence will have contributed to his captain's success. In Pollock's next over, Speight aimed to play to wide mid-on; the ball left him, took the outside edge and Reeve held a stinging catch to his right at just above waist height at first slip.There was no stopping Reeve, although he may have been a shade lucky to win an lbw decision against Alan Wells in his sixth over when Wells thrust a long way forward.The first Reeve-less wicket fell in the last over before tea when Bill Athey, who had galloped to six in 27 overs, played forward to Graeme Welch and was caught at third slip.In the last session, Neil Len- ham batted with composure under his yellow crash helmet, and Danny Law, a tall, beanpole of a man, defended stoutly and pulled vigorously.Even so, the 496 Sussex needed to save the follow-on was light years away, especially when Lenham was caught behind down the legside sweeping.Pollock was an object lesson for all fast bowlers. Reeve bustled in with that slightly idiosyncratic run-up from the Sea end, and in his third over James Hall pushed forward and Dominic Ostler picked up a quick, low catch at first slip.It was then Pollock's turn. He knocked Martin Speight's stumps all over the place with a fast yorker, only to find that it was a no-ball.