Don't you believe it; the vengeful spirit was all Wigan's.Who could have conceived it otherwise? No one at Maine Road - football's theatre of nightmare these days - was in the slightest doubt of the impending result. So much so that in the gents' beforehand, the talk was not of the game but whether Bath was pronounced with a long or short 'a'. Guscott was happy enough to leave his ill-starred team-mates to it, and whether the match was just a stunt - the England centre's view, as well as that of the rugby league stalwart, Alex Murphy, in yesterday's Manchester Evening News - or real history, the score made it look as if 101 years of cross-code antagonism were being requited over 80 minutes. Yet a publicity note handed out before the match had curiously suggested that Bath were the ones out for revenge, for defeats the last time the two rugbys were allowed to come together during the war. So Jeremy Guscott knew exactly what he was doing when he opted out of the Maine Event, as last night's annihilation was billed by the wishful thinkers trying to persuade the rest of us that this was going to be hard-fought as well as historic. The timing of the new deal coincides with Sky's announcement that it had gained exclusive rights to the US Open and the US PGA to the turn of the century.The Open was not one of the nation's "listed" events - the Olympic Games, the World Cup, Test cricket, Wimbledon, the Grand National, the Derby, the FA Cup final and the Scottish FA Cup final - prevented by current legislation from being broadcast on pay-per-view television.. Jonathan Martin, head of BBC TV Sport, said: "The Open is a huge landmark in every sporting summer and we are delighted to have ensured that coverage will be available to the entire British public." Although the Open is the flagship of the BBC's golf coverage, large holes had appeared in its convoy with the loss to Sky of the Ryder Cup and a host of European Tour events.

The R and A has clearly succeeded in coercing more money from the BBC, although last night both parties were coy about the figures. "We never discuss the sums involved," a spokeswoman for the Beeb said. It means that millions of viewers can still enjoy live coverage of the Open Championship into the next century. The Royal and Ancient yesterday announced they had signed a new and extended contract which will guarantee coverage of the world's oldest major championship on terrestrial TV until 2001. Prior to this announcement there had been speculation that the committee were considering switching to satellite coverage whereas in reality this was never a factor in our deliberations.'' This represents an extraordinary about face by Bonallack, who earlier in the year said the R and A were very interested in doing a deal with Sky, adding: "Our policy is to put money back into golf. Michael Bonallack, secretary of the R and A, said: "We are delighted that the long and happy relationship between the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and the BBC continues.

Few will regard Bath as entirely safe on union territory in 16 day's time.Wigan: Radlinski; J Robinson, Tuigamala, Connolly, Offiah; Paul, Edwards; Cowie, Hall, O'Connor, Houghton, Cassidy, Farrell. Substitutes used: Smyth, Murdock, Quinnell, Johnson.Bath: Lumsden; Sleightholme, De Glanville, Waters, Adebayo; Catt, Callard; Yates, Sanders, Haag, Vander, Ojomoh, A Robinson. Substitutes used: Butland, Redman, McCarthy, Pearce.Referee: R Smith (Castleford).. The Open Championship will continue to be shown on BBC television for the next five years.

They come on at pace.''It was not real rugby league, but after 101 years it was enjoyable enough as a novelty. Offiah squeezed in at the corner twice in quick succession before Johnson, Robinson and Offiah yet again completed the rout.Edwards paid tribute to the fighting spirit of the Bath players. "Their lads never gave in and you have to give them credit," he said. "Lots of teams would have put their heads down after that first half, but full credit to them."The Bath captain, Phil de Glanville, was full of admiration for Wigan's skills "They're a fantastic side," he said.