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Worcestershire CCC v Leicestershire CCC

LV= County Championship
Mon 28th June - 1st July

Articles & Reports

Match Report
Day 1:
Championship cricket returned to New Road with the visit of Leicestershire. With Vikram Solanki still side lined with injury Daryl Mitchell captained the side which saw the return of Matt Mason, Ben Smith and wicket keeper Ben Cox to the side. Mitchell won the toss for the home side and elected to bat first.

Despite a 33 from Moeen Ali it was a poor morning session for Worcestershire who went into lunch on 77-5 with ex-Worcestershire player Nadeem Malik picking up 2-26, playing his first Championship game after a long lay off due to injury.

Recovering from losing another wicket shortly after the resumption of play a 7th wicket stand of 71 between Gareth Andrew and Ben Cox helped the home side avoid a very poor first innings total. Cox, playing in only his 2nd First Class match scored a patient 42 before edging a catch to fellow keeper Tom New. Andrew top scored with an unbeaten 53* as Worcestershire were dismissed for a disappointing 175 at the tea interval. The wickets were shared out equally amongst the Leicestershire bowlers with all the bowlers picking up at least one wicket.

In reply Leicestershire lost one early wicket but any thoughts of a collapse were soon dismissed with a 2nd wicket stand of 107 between Will Jefferson and Jacques du Toit. Du Toit made 57 before being caught by Ben Cox off the bowling of Moeen Ali. Will Jefferson was dismissed five overs later LBW to Richard Jones for 64.

The dangerous young batsman James Taylor was still at the crease on 13* as Leicestershire closed the day on 163-3, just 12 runs behind Worcestershire’s 1st innings total. The home side will need early wickets on the 2nd day to ensure that Leicestershire do not take total control of the match.

Close of play Day 1. Worcestershire 175. Leicestershire 163-3.
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Day 2:
Daryl Mitchell and James Cameron batted well in partnership to rescue Worcestershire from a tricky situation to a position where the Champiopnship match against Leicestershire could go either way.

At the start of the day Worcestershire picked up the wicket of the night watchman Nathan Buck fairly quickly and had Leicestershire on 263-7 by lunch. Keeper Tom New scored a more than useful innings of 58 before being bowled by Richard Jones. Gareth Andrew did a good job of wrapping up the tail with figures of 3-68 to help bowl Leicestershire out for 309, giving them a very useful 1st innings lead of 134.

Matt Mason made a welcome return to Championship bowling with figures of 3-56 in 25 overs.

In their 2nd innings Worcestershire got off to a poor start loosing four quick wickets to be 59-4 at one stage and Leicestershire sensing a potential innings victory with Nathan Buck taking 3-26 in his 9 overs.

However the evening session belonged to Worcestershire with a fine display by Daryl Mitchell and James Cameron who batted the entire session in a unbeaten 5th wicket stand of 109. Making use of a number of missed chances at slip Mitchell finished the day on 63* off 146 deliveries and Cameron 62* off 109 deliveries with both batsmen scoring nine boundaries each.

With a slender lead of 34 runs Worcestershire will still require a couple of big partnerships in order to set Leicestershire a competitive target but Mitchell and Cameron have brought the home side back into the game.

Close of Play day 2: Worcestershire (175 & 168-4) lead Leicestershire (309) by 34 runs with six 2nd innings wickets remaining.
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Day 3:
Worcestershire produced a better batting performance in the 2nd innings, in particular by Gareth Andrew, but it was not enough to prevent Leicestershire wrapping up victory on the third day of the Championship match at New Road.

The overnight partnership of Daryl Mitchell and James Cameron lasted for another 7 overs before Mitchell was trapped LBW for 77 by Nadeem Malik after an innings lasting 168 deliveries. The 5th wicket stand earned 138 runs. Malik also picked up the wicket of Cameron caught at the wicket by Tom New for 75. Gareth Andrew came to the crease with the score on 209-6 with Worcestershire having only a slender lead and having to shepherd the lower order batsmen while still setting a target for the home side to be able to bowl at in the final innings.

Andrew was last man out being bowled by Jigar Naik for a hard fought 79 off 106 deliveries, which was the highest score of the match. This left Leicestershire a modest target of 182 to win, but the fact that there was even a total set was only due to a better batting display in the 2nd innings by the home side.

Making use of some occasional wayward opening bowling Leicestershire made a slow but steady start to their run chase. Will Jefferson made 32 to set the chase going before being well caught in the gully by Phil Jaques off the bowling of Andrew. However it was a well paced 3rd wicket stand of 66 between Paul Nixon and James Taylor that ensured that Worcestershire were never given a scent of an unlikely victory. Gareth Andrew rounded off a good all round performance in this match with figures of 2-24.

Nixon was out for 55, caught by Ben Cox off the bowling of Jack Shantry but James Taylor (43*) saw the visitors safely to their target with just over 7 overs left on the third day.

Result: Worcestershire (175 & 315) lost to Leicestershire (309 & 182-3) by 7 wickets. Worcestershire 3 points. Leicestershire 22 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