Gatting proves he can run the show

MIDDLESEX'S director of coaching took a few minutes off last week from his other job of selecting the England team to declare himself "pretty happy" with the start of his new career.

Those who know Mike Gatting wondered if he possessed the patience to be a county coach and whether he wasn't too close to the centre of the storm to pick up the pieces at Lord's after a disastrous 1998.

But with Middlesex in the top half of the championship and the team visibly pulling together again, his transition from playing to management has gone surprisingly smoothly. Gatting said: "The players have responded well and our position in the table shows that. In fact, but for one session against Hampshire and bad weather when we had Sussex 70 for eight, we'd be a lot higher than seventh. "There were times when it's been frustrating for me, when I have wanted to strap the pads on and do something, but happily not too often. The hardest part has been learning to sit still and keep quiet." Gatting has dispensed with much of the laptop technology of his predecessor, John Buchanan, and describes himself as a "traditional" coach, much in the manner of long-time mentor Don Bennett. He said: "We still use the video for home matches but otherwise I rely on notes and don't get bogged down in too much of the technical stuff. We also operate a very traditional system of the captain being in sole control in the dressing-room and the coach organising practice and talking to players individually. It seems to be working." The Holy Grail of scoring a century of centuries has ended for Gatting on 94 as he insists he will not play another first-class match, even in the event of a long injury list. He added: "I'll bat in a few charity games and maybe one or two for the MCC, but that part of it is over. Definitely." * n KEITH MEDLYCOTT is another coach feeling good about life as Surrey sit on top of the championship table halfway through the season. He said: "It's not only the results that have been pleasing this year, but the way we've played. "Surrey have consistently bowled sides out after losing the toss and then rattled up a really big lead on first innings - that's hard to play against. "It's not exaggerating to say that but for rain we'd have won every game - and all without an overseas player in the side."

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