Instead it went to Stephane Fleury another member of the French squad who

Instead it went to Stephane Fleury, another member of the French squad who retained the team title that they had won in 1992.There had been four veterinary gates on the 100-mile route and riders had to judge their pace carefully, knowing that they faced elimination if the horse was lame or if its pulse rate was too high.’It was a really tough course,’ Kanavy said. ‘I was alone between the third and fourth vet checks and my horse didn’t like that, he’s a very social animal. He was also unhappy with the deep sand between those two gates, but once we were heading out and going for home it was great.’They had set off in a massed start on Duindigt racecourse at 6.30am, as the sun was rising From there they headed for the beach and miles of sand. At that stage the tide was out and they could ride along firm stretches of beach, cooling their horses feet in the waves. It was when the route went through sand dunes that the going got tough.WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES (The Hague): Endurance riding: 1 Pieraz (V Kanavy, US); 2 Melfenik (D Pesce, Fr); 3 Roc’H (S Fleury, Fr).. Essex 216; Lancashire 264-4

JASON GALLIAN filled his sails with a breezy 98 here yesterday, and his Test ambitions appear eminently seaworthy.
Lancashire recently took the unusual step of announcing that Gallian, a former captain of Young Australia who became eligible to play for his adopted country at the start of this, his first season at Old Trafford, would be remaining with the county.Given that his father is Mike Gatting’s business partner and Desmond Haynes is likely to be touring here with the West Indies next summer, Middlesex’s search for a replacement opener had stoked all manner of rumours. Yesterday’s commanding display amplified why the 23-year-old’s employers were so keen to dispel them.Gallian demonstrated his assiduousness with an eight-hour century against Derbyshire last month.

Here, conversely, the strokes fairly purred, the house specialities a whip through midwicket and a fluid square drive. After accounting for most of a 144- run opening alliance with Steve Titchard, he was desperately unlucky to expire two short of a third Championship century, drilling Peter Such to short midwicket where John Stephenson soared for a superlative catch.This, though, was an isolated moment of fortune for Essex. Titchard eventually perished after four hours, bowled advancing to the persistent Such, whereupon that impish improviser, Neil Fairbrother, duly pushed Lancashire into the lead, then survived a none-too-difficult stumping chance to cap an unhappy day for the hosts.Mike Garnham was the culprit, emphasising the view that the gutsy wicketkeeper had been overly hasty in returning to his post after leaving the field with blurred vision, a legacy of the cut left eye from Peter Martin during his innings on Thursday. Garnham had none the less played a manful role in earning his side an unlikely batting point, hooking fearlessly when sense dictated such impulses be resisted.Mind you, John Childs did outscore him during their last-wicket liaison of 46, so he could not have been seeing the ball all that well.. At Chesterfield, Gloucester collapsed spectacularly against Derbyshire after lunch when their last seven wickets fell for only 63 runs in 24 overs Derbyshire, on 92 for 2, have a lead of 144..

Ottis Gibson yesterday completed his fourth half-century in six Championship innings, contributing 64 to a sixth-wicket stand of 89 with Alistair Dalton (44), as Glamorgan finished on 273 for 8, just six runs ahead of Middlesex at Lord’s.. Warwickshire 216 v Worcestershire 135-0

NEIGHBOURS they may be but of the kind where scoring points is very much the name of the game. In which case Worcestershire, without actually denying visitors access across their New Road driveway, were reasonably content with events here, the Championship leaders three adrift on the
bonus front after being bowled out for their second-lowest total of the season.This may sound like clutching at straws but with a shade above 62 overs lost on day one, this match is only slowly taking shape. And slow is the operative word, because by tea-time yesterday neither contestant appeared too concerned at a scoring rate hovering around two runs an over.But then that is four-day cricket for you, the push and the prod so often the norm in the early stages. Take out someone like Brian Lara, which Phil Newport did to the delight of his Worcestershire team-mates with the battle just 28 overs old, and the cupboard began to look a trifle bare on a slowish wicket. All credit then to Stuart Lampitt, a bowler appearing the sharpest of all and one enjoying a fair bit of movement in muggy conditions. Then again, Lampitt has proved that he is no mug with the ball this summer while also celebrating a maiden century in the Championship against Middlesex early in June.By coincidence, it was at Lord’s, too, where Warwickshire had been dismissed for a paltry 211 the previous month, although they escaped with a draw in a match that could have gone either way.