Although he scored a fistful of half-centuries for Warwickshire last season it was his off-spin which occupied most of his attention

Posted in General on 03. Sep, 2010

Although he scored a fistful of half-centuries for Warwickshire last season, it was his off-spin which occupied most of his attention. For much of the day’s play Warwickshire’s Alex Loudon made a nuisance of himself, sticking around to score only the second first-class hundred of his career.
While his 172 for Durham UCCE three years ago was a record for his Alma Mater, this latest effort will probably carry more weight It should also remind him that he can still bat. A champion start for the champion county. Nottinghamshire wrapped up a comfortable victory over MCC with an armful of overs to spare in front of a scattering of spectators to get their season off to an encouraging start

Yet they did not have everything their own way.

“But he has not put a foot wrong, and I am struggling a bit still with my ankle injury,” added Haslam, who was injured in a crash in round one at Brands Hatch.Kiyonari took third place in the opening race at Thruxton. He looked set for an action replay, but his HM Plant Honda team-mate Karl Harris denied him a second podium finish.Harris escaped injury in a start-line incident in the first race but took third from Kiyonari in race two at the chicane on the final lap.. I squandered the chances I had and it’s a bad place to be when you start missing.”Ken had nobody to beat and I’m gutted after such a good season to have performed like that,” Hawkins added “But plenty of better players than me have been bashed up I can’t wait to get home and have a pint.”. The Spaniard Gregorio Lavilla won both third-round races of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Thruxton yesterday. Lavilla’s Airwaves Ducati team-mate Leon Haslam twice finished second after leading at the start of both races. Lavilla, the reigning champion, now has a 36-point lead but he played down his title chances, saying: “I am not thinking of the title.

Last season Ryuichi Kiyonari won the first six races but not the title.”
The Spaniard may be cautious off the track but there is no doubting his current form after he set a 113.25mph lap record at Thruxton.”It’s hard making the start, and then seeing him come past,” said Haslam, who is second in the standings. “At first I was a bit nervous, but after that it was nothing to do with playing at the Crucible I just couldn’t perform and I can’t explain why. Hawkins, ranked No 29 in the world, has made rapid strides over the last couple of years to secure a top-10 place for next season, but will quickly want to forget his first appearance on snooker’s biggest stage.
There was no sign of the trauma ahead when Hawkins won the first frame of the match, but Doherty then reeled off 10 in succession to prevail 10-1 and book a possible meeting with Matthew Stevens.The Irishman did not need to do anything spectacular, his highest break of the match being a mere 57 as the Kent left-hander failed to produce the form that has taken him to two semi-finals this season.”I had two bad days at the office,” the 26-year-old from Beckenham said. Ken Doherty inflicted a nightmare Crucible debut on rising youngster Barry Hawkins when he cruised into the second round of the World Championship in Sheffield yesterday.

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