Date-stamped : 04 Aug97 - 14:31 Pakistan unfazed on first day By Ralph Dellor at Bristol First day of four: Pakistan A (113-5) trail Gloucs (167) by 54 runs AS THE opening batsmen made their way out towards a fast, green pitch under grey skies, they were announced to a sparse public as representing "Gloucestershire -leaders of the County Champi- onship". Such a boast did not appear to be a great ad- vertisement for English domestic cricket when five wickets fell for 23 in 11 overs. The batsmen faced an unequal test against the new ball pairing of Shoaib Akhtar and Abdur Razzak. Akhtar, with a stiff breeze at his back, relished the conditions. He generated considerable pace, as Mark Alleyne would testify after lobbing a catch to the gully as he played an involuntary reflex jab at a rapid de- livery which reared from just short of a length towards his throat. Tim Hancock survived by playing some attacking strokes to reach exactly 50, as did Martyn Ball before he was last out at 167. That gave an opportunity to Mike Smith to put the disappoint- ments of the Headingley Test behind him. He needed only eight balls to restore self-esteem with the wicket of Ali Naqvi, while Ball showed that controlled off-spin could also command re- spect against the wristy strokeplay of Hassan Raza. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Smith silence could say everything Barrie Fairall at Bristol Second day of four: Gloucs v Pakistan A THINGS were strangely quiet here - except when the Pakistanis were appealing, which was all too frequently - but the real deaf- en- ing silence concerned Mike Smith. Naturally quietly spoken, Smith is usually forthcoming in his polite way but yesterday the Gloucestershire fast bowler was not saying anything. "He might have a word later," Jack Russell said. "When he`s re- covered." It was the word `recovered` that was intriguing. As Smith was having a spot of physio at the time, he could have been recovering from that. On the other hand, it sounded as if he could have received some bad news concerning his Test career. In which case, poor Smith, who according to some had not found life easy when winning his first cap in the fourth Test against Australia at Headingley. These things you would like to confirm, but it was said that he was not exactly welcomed into the bosom of England`s family and only grasped the ball when it was old. If only Graham Thorpe had held that slip catch off Matthew El- liott in Smith`s second over when the Australian was 170 runs away from his final telling contribution. Smith, meanwhile, was happy enough to talk on Friday and said: "I felt I bowled badly and didn`t do my- self justice. I`ve been bowling well all season, but everything went wrong on one day." Yesterday, county cricket`s leading wicket taker had to play second fiddle to his captain, Mark Alleyne. Now there is a player who, together with wicketkeeper Russell, many would like to feel was under consideration for the fifth Test starting at Trent Bridge on Thursday. Alleyne, 29, is top of the all-rounders list and has led Glouces- tershire to the top of the table. A best of 169 in a total of 639 runs was not added to in the first innings at the County Ground, but a haul of 34 wickets compared to Smith`s 55 was in wrap- ping up the Pakistanis. Hasan Raza and Javed Qadeer went quietly about their business initially, Smith failing to gain an lbw decision against Qadeer, who then warmed to his task by taking a six off Alleyne on the way to matching his partner`s half-century in a century stand. Alleyne, though, had his revenge having first taken out Raza for 63 when the Pakistani played into Richard Davis`s safe hands at second slip. The exercise was now repeated, Davis diving to his right to send Qadeer on his way for 61. And from 190 for five, the tourists were restricted to a lead of 53, their last five wickets falling for 30 runs. Alleyne took four for 46 with the outcome in the balance as Gloucester- shire, still missing the injured David Lawrence, lost two wick- ets in poking their noses in front. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Tour Match: Alleyne`s all-round show put on hold By Ralph Dellor at Bristol Third day of four: Gloucs (167 & 204-5) lead Pakistan A (220) by 151 runs WITH a persistent drizzle engulfing the Bristol ground throughout the scheduled third day of this match, the only play possible came from the band of the 1st Bn, The Royal Gurkha Ri- fles, and even those tough little warriors had to perform in- doors. When play ended on Saturday evening, the match was left in an in- triguing position. The tourists` innings was brought to a con- clusion within 30 overs, largely thanks to Mark Alleyne, who con- firmed his position at the top of the all-rounders` table with four wick- ets to take his tally for the season to 38 at under 20 apiece. The Gloucestershire captain was helped by two good catches at second slip by Dickie Davis to account for Hasan Raza and Javed Qadeer, Pakistan`s two half-century makers. The Pakistan advantage of 53 was overtaken before the first wicket fell. However, Nick Trainor and Matthew Church, playing ad- mirably straight on his first-class debut after being re- leased by Worcestershire, established what could yet be a useful lead on an easing pitch. Jack Russell extended the advantage in company with Alleyne, who took his own batting average for the season close enough to 40 to perhaps interest the selectors to give him some overseas activity this winter. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)