Cricket: Magisterial Haynes on the case

Middlesex 407-7 v Sussex

RAMPS BEWARE, warned the sign at the entrance to the car park. Whether this advice was directed towards the Sussex attack or any spectactor tempted to console Mark Ramprakash for his recent suspension was open to interpretation. In the event, 'Beware Haynes' would have been the more appropriate recommendation.

The last time Desmond Haynes batted here, Middlesex were on the verge of sealing the 1990 Championship when the opener received what he construed to be a dodgy decision and duly threw what those with a flair for understatement might term a wobbly.

Yesterday he made amends and more, converting his 50th first- class century into a magisterial 177. The Bajan clearly has a taste for Sussex's bowling. Two years ago he took 255 off them at Lord's.

Not that the pickings here were easy. Inserted on a damp, mud-coloured strip, Middlesex had to tread carefully with the ball frequently slowing up after pitching.

This idiosyncrasy accounted for Mike Roseberry shortly after he and Haynes had posted the 50, Carlos Remy - the St Lucian- born seamer with the Tin Tin hairdo - inducing a hesitant spoon to cover to end an adventurous over that would not have disgraced Herge.

Haynes and Mike Gatting soon concluded that the ball would have to do the work. As a result, the second-wicket duo put on 178 in 56 overs by dint of supreme timing, Haynes easing 12 of his eventual 21 boundaries through the covers while his accomplice flicked and caressed 13 fours before being adjudged caught at slip off the estimable Ian Salisbury.

Such was Gatting's subdued mood that the leg-spinner sent down five maidens to him at one stage, no mean feat against a man who habitually tucks into slow bowlers with even greater relish than he reserves for the tea trolley.

Enter Ramprakash to a deafening silence, the patrons presumably fearful of showing their appreciation. The past few months have afforded far too many glimpses of the wrong side of one of the game's most gifted starlets, a consequence, perhaps, of the selectors granting Graeme Hick preferential treatment.

Happily, the prodigal now returned to duty by thrusting his best foot forward, three sumptuous boundaries matching the sunshine, before an attempted pull off Tony Pigott nudged his leg- bail.

Haynes departed in identical fashion, leaving John Carr to put Middlesex even more firmly into the driving seat with a vigorous 50.