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Worcestershire v Gloucestershire

LV= County Championship
Sat 29th May - Tues 1st June

Articles & Reports

Match Report
Day 1:
Matt Mason made a welcome return to First Class cricket for the Championship match at New Road against Gloucestershire. There were two changes from the team that played against Sussex with Jack Shantry also returning to the team in the place of Gareth Andrew and Shaaiq Choudhry.

Persistent light rain throughout most of the day meant that the game did not start until mid-afternoon. Gloucestershire won the toss and elected to bat first.

In the session before tea Worcestershire picked up two wickets, both to Richard Jones as Gloucestershire made 45-2 before a rain shower caused tea to be taken early.

Gloucestershire recovered slightly from 24-2 with Hamish Marshall and Jonathan Batty looking well set in a 3rd wicket stand of 54 before Batty was well caught for 38 at short leg by Alexei Kervezee off the bowling of Alan Richardson.

Matt Mason bowled with his usual accuracy, with an opening spell of 0-13 from 6 overs with Richard Jones picking up two wickets at the other end.

A couple of quick rain showers and bad light brought an early close to play with a total of 66 overs lost in the day. Gloucestershire finished the day on 78-3 from the 29.1 overs of play that was possible.

Close of Play Day 1: Worcestershire 78-3. (29.1 overs).
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Day 2.
The Championship match at New Road remains interestingly poised as Gloucestershire fought back in the final session at New Road.

The day started with the visitors on 78-3. Matt Mason playing his first game this season took two wickets in his first spell of the day, both catches for Ben Scott.

Chris Taylor and James Franklin had a 6th wicket stand of 67 before Franklin was was well caught low down at first slip by Daryl Mitchell off the bowling of Moeen Ali for 32. Jack Shantry also took a wicket at the stroke of lunch to leave Gloucestershire on 190-7 at the break.

Chris Taylor top scored for the visitors with 71 off 104 deliveries before being clean bowled by Alan Richardson. Gloucestershire were dismissed for 245 mid way through the afternoon session. All the Worcestershire bowlers picked up two wickets apiece with Mason on 2-42 from 17 overs and Richardson on 2-58 from 21 overs.

In reply Worcestershire reached 53 before Mitchell was caught at short leg by Hamish Marshall for 29. Worcestershire reached tea on 68-1.

The big partnership in the final session of the day was a 4th wicket stand of 107 between Moeen Ali and Alexei Kervezee. Kervezee in particular looked in fine form as both batsmen kept the scoring rate at over five runs an over.

The partnership looked well set until an injury to Steve Kirby brought Jon Lewis back into the attack who picked up two quick wickets as Worcestershire went from 214-3 at one stage to finish the day on 221-6.

The key wicket was that of Kervezee who was trapped LBW by Lewis for 57 after another stylish innings lasting 58 balls and containing 10 boundaries. Two more wickets fell quickly to leave Moeen Ali unbeaten on 70* and Ben Scott newly arrived at the wicket on 0*.

Worcestershire will require a good partnership from these batsmen on the third day of the match if they are going to achieve any sort of 1st innings lead, with the home side being 16 runs behind Gloucestershire at the close of play.

Close of Play Day 2: Gloucestershire 245. Worcestershire 229-6.
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Day 3:
Worcestershire finished the third day of the Championship match at New Road against Gloucestershire in a strong position but they may have to fight the weather in order to win the match on the final day.

In the morning session Moeen Ali survived a very confident appeal for caught behind in the first over the day. Moeen Ali and Ben Scott completed a 7th wicket stand of 96 to help Worcestershire gain a more than useful first innings lead after recovering from 221-6 to 317-7.

Moeen scored his second Championship century of the season in an innings of 106 lasting 144 deliveries before being caught by Chris Dent off the bowling of Vikram Banerjee. Scott also scored continued his fine form this season with 67, following on from his 98 in his last innings and helping Worcestershire go a long way to earn their fourth batting bonus point.

Worcestershire were eventually dismissed for 288 just after lunch when the new ball was taken but not after Matt Mason had scored a quick fire 27 off just 18 deliveries including three huge sixes.

This gave Worcestershire a first innings lead of 143 with 57 overs left to be bowled in the day.

By the close of play Gloucestershire reached 189-5, a slender lead of 46. Hamish Marshall made 50 before being well caught at first slip by Ben Smith off the bowling of Alan Richardson. Jack Shantry was particularly effective with 2-28 in his 14 overs, as was Alan Richardson with 2-48 in his 17 overs.

At the close of play Chris Taylor and James Franklin were still unbeaten and possibly could hold the key to providing an interesting finish to the final day if weather permits.

Close of Play Day 3: Gloucestershire (245 & 189-5) lead Worcestershire (388) by 46 runs with 5 second innings wickets remaining.
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Day 4:
For the second successive Championship match Worcestershire were denied a possible victory by poor weather.

Worcestershire went into the final day of the Championship match at New Road against Gloucestershire in a strong position by still requiring five wickets.

Rain throughout the night and into the morning prevented any play before 3:45pm by which time there were only 36 overs left in the day. Worcestershire were also hampered by the absence of Richard Jones who was absent with a possible hamstring strain, with Neil Pinner acting as substitute for the final day.

Worcestershire made a breakthrough in the fourth over of the day with James Franklin being tempted into giving a catch to Alexei Kervezee at deep square leg off the bowling of Alan Richardson for 23. Chris Taylor had batted two hours in solid defence for his 30 before being bowled by Richardson which still gave Worcestershire a chance of victory with Gloucestershire on 218-7 and the lead still below 100.

If a sharp chance had been held at 4th slip given by Victor Banerjee, Worcestershire might well have pressed on for victory and Richardson would have got his well deserved 5 wicket haul, his third of the season. Richardson finished with figure of 4-68 off 28 overs with the economical Jack Shantry going for 2-39 off 20 overs.

Jonathan Lewis (16*) and Banerjee (17*) then safely batted out 14 overs for Gloucestershire with only a couple of scares. By the time Gloucestershire had reached a lead of 100 with less than 10 overs left in the day both captains agreed on the draw.

Result: Worcestershire (388) drew with Gloucestershire (245 & 243-7 dec.)
Worcestershire 10 points. Gloucestershire 5 points.
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Alternative articles and match reports on Worcestershire County Cricket Club maybe found on the links below.

ECB LV= County Championship Reports