May 10, 2002	Friday	Safar 26, 1423

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LONDON, May 9: Australia’s Michael Bevan hammered an unbeaten 99 for Leicestershire on the opening day of their first division county championship match against Warwickshire at Grace Road Wednesday.

Widely regarded as the best one-day batsman in the world, Bevan shared a third-wicket stand of 127 with Iain Sutcliffe, as Leicestershire closed on 292 for four.

At The Oval, Lancashire’s England all-rounder Andy Flintoff blasted 137 off 106 balls as the visitors piled up 320 against the championship pacesetters.

Flintoff’s century came from just 75 balls with England’s Alex Tudor and Pakistan’s Azhar Mahmood bearing the brunt of the assault.

He then took two wickets with his pace bowling as Surrey were reduced to 106 for seven at stumps.

Another England bowler in the wickets was Somerset quick Andy Caddick. He took five for 72 as champions Yorkshire were bowled out for 213 at Taunton.

Ian Blackwell’s 104 then guided Somerset to 186 for six after an early collapse.

Elsewhere former England batsman and Hampshire captain Robin Smith turned back the clock with 104 out of 303 for nine against Kent at The Rose Bowl.

But the major innings of the day belonged to Australia’s Michael DiVenuto who cracked 230 out of Derbyshire’s 487 for seven against Northamptonshire. England all-rounder Domnic Cork chipped in with 60 at Derby.

Also in the second division, DiVenuto’s fellow Australian Andrew Bichel took four for 39 with his fast-medium seamers for Worcestershire as Glamorgan were dismissed for 286.

Worcestershire finished the day at New Road on 29 without loss.

In the day’s other second division championship match the bowlers were on top at Trent Bridge.

Essex were dismissed for a meagre 130 with seamer Andrew Harris claiming four for 41 before Nottinghamshire’s batsmen struggled to reach 152 for five.

Wednesday’s scores:

(First day of four):

Division one:

At Southampton: Hampshire 303-9 (R.A. Smith 104, S.D. Udal 88; M. Saggers 4-59) v Kent.

At Leicester: Leicestershire 292-4 (M.G. Bevan 99 not out, I. Sutcliffe 71) v Warwickshire.

At Taunton: Yorkshire 213 (M. Lumb 66; A.R. Caddick 5-72); Somerset 186-6 (I. Blackwell 104; C.E.W. Silverwood 3-24).

At The Oval: Lancashire 320 (A. Flintoff 137); Surrey 106-7.

Division two:

At New Road: Glamorgan 286 (J. Hughes 74, R.D.B. Croft 59, M.J. Powell 53; Kabir Ali 5-80; A.J. Bichel 4-39); Worcestershire 29-0.

At Trent Bridge: Essex 130 (A. Harris 4-41, G. Smith 3-21); Nottinghamshire 152-5 (J.E.R. Gallian 52).

At Derby: Derbyshire 487-7 (M.J. Di Venuto 230, D.G. Cork 60, A. Gait 53) v Northamptonshire.—AFP/ Reuters