da bet sport： Glen Chapple provided a masterclass in the art of transforming his team’s fortunes against Warwickshire
Myles Hodgson at Aigburth20-Apr-2012
ScorecardSimon Kerrigan struck late to remove Jim Troughton•Getty Images
If any further evidence were needed of Lancashire’s ability to prosperin difficult situations, captain Glen Chapple provided a masterclassin the art of transforming his team’s fortunes with an impressiveall-round display against Warwickshire.Having consistently fought back from dire positions last summer to pipWarwickshire for the title against all expectations, it was perhapsfitting that Lancashire chose the same opponents to deliver adetermined performance every bit as good as those last summer in coldconditions by the Mersey.Facing the prospect of a second successive match without battingpoints, Chapple’s aggressive innings guided them to a competitive 250in bowler-friendly conditions before contributing two late wickets -including Ian Bell – as Warwickshire lost five quick wickets beforethe close.It continued Chapple’s great record against Warwickshire, against whomhe has scored two of his six first-class centuries while his 78wickets against them represents his best return against any side otherthan Durham. In delivering another superb all-round display, he hasalso transformed the momentum of a match that looked to be headingfirmly away from Lancashire.”It’s a good day from where we were overnight,” Chapple said. “Wegrafted a lot yesterday but obviously lost a couple of wickets that wedidn’t want to and that can change the face of the game. Today weworked really hard and came out on top.”Arriving at the crease with Lancashire struggling on 170 for 7,having battled their way through an attritional morning when theyadded only 47 runs in 32 overs, Chapple chose to play aggressively anddominated a crucial 60-run eighth-wicket stand with Luke Procter:Lancashire’s emerging allrounder.While Proctor reined in any attacking instincts to battle for threeand a half hours for his 46 runs, Chapple raced to 44 from 49 ballsand by the time he became one of four victims for Darren Maddy, Lancashire were in sight of a second batting point.”It’s risky playing aggressively but batting lower down the ordersometimes you can say you haven’t got the tools to deal with it for along time so you get a bit of a licence,” explained Chapple. “It’s theway I play best, if I show a bit of intent, but you need a bit of luckwhen you do it.”If Chapple was fortunate with bat in hand, there was nothing luckyabout his immediate impact with the ball. Tempting Varun Chopra intoedging an outswinger behind with his fourth ball was a classic Chappledismissal that has occurred consistently during his 21 seasons withLancashire.Perhaps trying to mimic Chapple’s earlier aggression, Warwickshirechose to open with Neil Carter for the second successive match and heresponded by breaking the windscreen of the refreshment van with apulled six off Kyle Hogg. Revenge was swift, however, when he alsoedged behind during an impressive opening spell from the River End.Chapple was forced to take painkillers after jarring his ankle in thefootmarks from the Pavilion End during his opening spell, and hisabsence from the attack allowed Bell to make tentative progress inhis first innings of the season. No batsman, even one of Bell’sobvious class, can ever feel too secure in such bowler-friendlyconditions, however, and he also fell in Chapple’s first over backinto the attack to another catch behind.Fearing the day would end prematurely for bad light, Chapple quicklyturned to his two spinners, Simon Kerrigan and Gary Keedy, whoresponded by claiming a wicket apiece before the close to suggest theymay also have an increasing influence in the second half of the match.