Date-stamped : 03 Nov93 - 21:22 Subject: Australia vs Somerset (2D - Taunton, England, May 9) England hopeful Mark Lathwell was dismissed after only three balls as the Australian tourists continued to undermine England's young guns. On Saturday, Australia's front-line batsmen battered Somerset's other England prospect, paceman Andrew Caddick. Only 24 hours later, Craig McDermott tormented Lathwell before removing him without scoring. Caddick, 24, like Lathwell an England A tourist during the winter, is unlikely to have seriously damaged his chances of being named in England's Texaco Trophy squad on Wednesday, even though 22 overs cost 90 runs and yielded just one wicket. But 21-year-old Lathwell, who scored 175 against Tasmania during the winter in front of chairman of selectors Ted Dexter, probably needed a major score against Australia to command more than a passing mention at this week's selection meeting. On a pitch offering the bowlers considerably more assistance than yesterday, Lathwell jabbed his first ball to gulley, survived an lbw appeal off the next and edged the third at comfortable height to wicketkeeper Tim Zoehrer. McDermott might have had a wicket during each of his first five overs as he made the ball lift and leave Somerset's batsmen. In the end, he had to settle for only one more success during an impressive 10 over spell -- Richard Harden (7) snicking high and fast to Allan Border at third slip. Pace partner Merv Hughes, playing his first match of the tour following a knee operation two months ago, understandably looked rusty by comparison but still beat the bat on a number of occasions. It was Australia's slow bowlers who posed Somerset their final problems on a day restricted to 47 overs by rain. Off-spinner Tim May ended an enterprising third wicket stand of 119 when Chris Tavare (62) chipped a return catch while leg spinner Shane Warne removed Nick Folland (1). By the close, Somerset were 151 for four, still 280 behind and facing a fight to avoid the follow-on tomorrow. Score at the close on second day of Australia's three day match against Somerset on Sunday: Australia 431 M J Slater 122, M E Waugh 68, A R Border 54. A P Van Troost 4-89. Somerset 151-4 C J Tavare 62. Contributed by vasa (Vasanthan.Dasan@*.Sun.COM) The Guardian 11 May 1993 Plane talking from Border DAVID FOOT AT TAUNTON Tour match: Somerset v Australians ALLAN BORDER and his principal pace bowler Craig McDermott are, by all accounts, the best of mates. But you would never have known it if you had eavesdropped on one exchange yesterday des- tined for Channel 7 viewers. One hopes it goes out after the evening watershed. McDermott, who had pounded in with such resolve, aggression and control the previous day, was yesterday not, it seemed, in quite the best of sorts. There were eight no-balls and not the most relaxed of demeanours. Then came the public rebuke from his captain. It started with finger-waving, which appeared to be unheeded. ''I'm talking to you, [expletive deleted] come here,'' said Border as he went on purposeful walkabout. The television tape suggested that McDermott was summoned three times before he turned round. By now the Border tone was une- quivocal, as if a breach of discipline was being enacted in front of him. ''Come here . . . do that again and you are on the next plane home, son.'' There was what looked like a mumbled response from the big bowler. ''What was that?'' asked his skipper. The crowd were not quite sure what was going on, but they sensed that a fleeting segment of Greek drama was being performed just out of earshot. One could sympathise a little with McDermott. He is on the way back as a whole-hearted and potent speed merchant. He may have things to prove, wickets to take on the way. When David Shepherd, the Devon horticulturist, no-balled him once in mid-afternoon, there was some pretty vigorous scuffing by the bowler as he sort- ed out his delivery marks. Shepherd, in his turn, returned to the spot to examine the manner the soil had been rearranged and made his own adjustments. One felt it might soon be a matter for Gardeners' Question Time. In the end the game became amiable in the evening sunshine. Somerset had been asked to score 321. They finished 36 runs short and everyone went home happy. The Aussies, for their part, were now in the Tetley's jackpot money. Somerset had declared their first innings 280 behind and then the tourists declared themselves at 40 without loss. There were moments after that when the county side appeared quite capable of winning, just as they last did against the Australians in Joel Garner's first county match in 1977. Early on, Hughes had been the tighter of the fast bowlers, get- ting Lathwell caught for a second time at the wicket. There was afterwards some well-composed run-gathering, especially from Hayhurst. Undefeated in the first innings, he now scored 89 with nine boundaries before being out as he tried to sweep unwisely. Border relied on his slow bowlers, knowing that Somerset's inex- perienced tail would probably succumb. Warne, who not so long ago sampled a summer of club cricket in the Bristol area, is a genuine spinner. He and May curtailed Somerset's aggression and sustained the interest. The Australians showed an uncharacteristic flaw or two in the field, which must have taxed the good nature of their skipper. But judged by the unlikely speed with which Boon chased to the bowler's end to voice his anguish when umpire Palmer turned down a catch against Burns, there is nothing too much wrong with their overall physical fitness. Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)