MICHAEL ATHERTON had already displayed a rare ability to stand out as a golden retriever among poodles but his performance at Lancaster Park yesterday, when he carried his team as well as his bat, lent him more the appearance of a rescuing St Bernard, scaling mountain slopes with a little barrel of brandy around its neck.
Atherton became the seventh England batsman to carry his bat in a Test match, as he made an unbeaten 94 in an England total of 228 in the third Test against New Zealand; the six before him were Bobby Abel, Plum Warner, Len Hutton (twice), Geoff Boycott, most memorably Graham Gooch, who made 154 out of 252 against West Indies at Leeds in 1991, and most recently Alec Stewart, against Pakistan in 1992.
In that heady context, Atherton's innings does not stand out, for the bowling here was not world class and the pitch was mostly benign, despite this slow bicycle race of low scores. His effort was monumental, nevertheless.
England still trailed New Zealand by 118 runs but without his five and three-quarter hour innings they might have followed on and been beaten inside three days.
Instead, England drew strength from Atherton's example and had New Zealand fighting for survival themselves at the end of the third day, when they were 95 for six, 213 runs ahead, with the spinners Robert Croft and Phil Tufnell going from strength to stranglehold.
Whatever there is lacking in Atherton's captaincy, and there is much, it is not character and courage; many will forgive his cussedness off the pitch while he can be as stubborn as this on it. He was also utterly selfless, making no attempt to farm the bowling in his 90s even when, with Tufnell for company, he had good reason to do so.
There was, of course, a hint of responsibility about this innings which extended beyond his officer's stripes. It was not unlike his even more heroic 185 against South Africa in Johannesburg a year ago. On both occasions he had won the toss and chosen to bowl, something which he is perhaps too carefree about.
In the past 100 years an England captain has put in the opposition on 55 occasions; there have been 21 defeats and only 10 victories as a consequence.
He has struggled for form for most of the winter but said last night: "I feel I've been playing well since Hamilton, and then I got that 80 in Auckland. There was a bit of ill-discipline about our batting but it is a pitch, with the odd ball bouncing a bit, which needs concentration.
"This is the first time in the series that we've been in a scrap and I was pleased by the way we responded, coming out fighting and taking wickets towards the end. I feel delighted to be captain of a side with two quality spinners. It gives me lot of variety and a lot of options."
England resumed yesterday on 145 for five with Atherton on 66, and their disappointing batting of the previous day continued when Dominic Cork, who appears to have an attitude problem these days, was caught behind attempting a wild swipe against only the fifth ball of the morning. Croft then made an impressive 31, with five fluent fours, before he was out, embarrassingly, attempting to slog a high, slow full toss from Nathan Astle. Darren Gough and Andrew Caddick soon perished before Tufnell provided the innings with a colourful, if clumsy cadenza.
New Zealand's swagger was short-lived. Cork bowled Blair Pocock via bat and pad in the first over, and in the second Bryan Young was dropped at slip, by Nick Knight of all people, off Caddick before he had scored.
When Adam Parore was caught behind for a tortuous eight New Zealand went to tea at 42 for two, still powerfully placed, 160 runs on. When Stephen Fleming was third out at 61, followed by Astle at 76, England were suddenly back in the match, which might help explain the controversial dismissal of Young, when the score was 80, after he had scored 49.
Young was given out by umpire Darrell Hair, caught by Knight at silly mid-off, but refused to go. Instead he stood his ground, and appeared to say: "He didn't catch that, no way." It was only after Hair had consulted with square-leg umpire Steve Dunne, and repeated his verdict, that Young trudged from the crease.
Afterwards the International Cricket Council match referee Peter Burge held a hearing which involved Young, his captain, manager and the three umpires. In a statement Burge said afterwards: "After listening to Young's explanation, viewing the video replays and further discussions with the umpires, I have accepted that he did not see umpire Hair give him out. Given his unblemished record I have decided to take no further action."
