By Dave Buxton
April 17 2003

Essex had another good day at Fenner's, by polishing off Cambridge UCCE for 173 thanks to 5-27 for Andrew McGarry, then Paul Grayson and Aftab Habib found their true form with half centuries, as Essex lead by a massive 514 going into the final day, ending day 2 on 190-1.

CAMBRIDGE UCCE VS ESSEX - Day 2 Report

COMPETITION: UCCE Match

DATE: Sat 12th-Mon 14th April, 2003

VENUE: Fenner's, Cambridge

STATE OF PLAY: After day 2, Essex lead by 514 with 9 2nd innings wickets in hand

After beginning the day on 31-1, the students advanced well to 64-1 thanks to Shankar (38) and Mann (21) but then soon slipped to 98-7, as Andrew McGarry ripped through the middle-order, with impressive figures of 16-7-27-5, including the scalps of twins Adnan and Arfan Akram for 3 and 0 respectively.

New Aussie overseas signing Scott Brant picked up his first Essex wicket along the way too, by having Webley caught by Jefferson in the slips for 10.

However, the students did recover with Kumar and Park adding 51 for the 8th wicket, before James Middlebrook finished things off with the wickets of Kumar (41) and Savill (10) as Cambridge were bowled out for just 173 in 75.3 overs, conceding a deficit of 324 on 1st innings.

Middlebrook ended with 12.3-4-29-2, while Brant's first Essex outing saw him record 19-7-57-1. James Foster took 4 catches behind the stumps and Robbo and Jeffers two catches a piece at slip as well.

That left Essex the time to get two players into form, rather than make Cambridge follow-on and they truely did this, as Paul Grayson and Aftab Habib hit 153 for the first wicket.

Larry scored 90 off 112 balls (11 fours) before this time, being victim to the other Akram twin, Arfan and again, caught behind. The main thing though, is that he's found his touch.

Ronnie Irani then decided to have some practice himself, being as it's only his second knock in English conditions this season and he scored an unbeaten 18 at the close, while Habib ended on a classy 72 not out at the close, in the un-familiar role of opener, with Essex finishing on 190-1 after 43 overs.

Good to see the bowlers, McGarry in particular, bowl well and to see Larry find his form again, while Affy has turned a promising innings into a big score. A big lead and after a declaration, we should go onto win this match.

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Date: 13/4/03

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