Sunday, April 16th, 2017

Bumpy Pride At All-Round Quality In Eight Wicket Win Over Glamorgan

Bumpy Pride At All-Round Quality In Eight Wicket Win Over Glamorgan

Director Of Cricket Steve Rhodes revealed his pride at Worcestershire's excellent all-round performance in starting the campaign with an eight wicket triumph over Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium.

The County won with five sessions to spare in their opening Specsavers County Championship encounter of 2017 as their 

And Rhodes was delighted to see two of Worcestershire's up and coming prospects in Tom Kohler-Cadmore, 22, and Josh Tongue, 19, make big contributions with bat and ball respectively after injury lay-offs.

Kohler-Cadmore hit a century after recovering from shoulder surgery and Tongue destroyed the Glamorgan second innings with 5-45 after winter long rehab following a back operation in September.

Rhodes told BBC Hereford-Worcester's Dave Bradley: "I'm really proud of the boys. They have made a terrific effort. The toss (uncontested) was quite important and we had Glamorgan in trouble early.

"Although they fought back admirably, to keep that pressure on them all the way through, and to see a couple of young players in Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Josh Tongue doing so well, bodes well hopefully for their seasons.

"We had five seamers and sometimes that is quite hard for Joe (Leach) to juggle them around. You've got too many options sometimes but it was a wehole-hearted effort by all the seam bowlers and I thought we also caught well.

"It was a great start to the season and it's crucial to get off to a good start now there are only 14 games.

"The middle order guys played extremely well and the all-rounders, the guys coming in lower down the order, Coxy, Barny, John Hastings, all got runs so good signs in that respect."

Worcestershire collected a maximum 24 points haul and Rhodes and the players are already looking forward to the home opener against Northamptonshire starting on Friday.

He said: "These lads have had a tough pre-season and they've got a massive reward so they deserve time to celebrate and enjoy the victory and I think that is really, really important.

"There is plenty of time before the next game now. We will probably stay over tonight and then hit the road tomorrow but we are looking forward already to that Northants game.

"That is what happens when you win,you don't feel tired, you feel fresh and are looking forward to the next game.

Tongue followed up his two wickets yesterday with another three today to finish with 5-45 from 10 overs.

He clearly unsettled Glamorgan's top scorer Aneurin Donald (57) with a short ball which struck him on the helmet and he was dismissed two balls later.

Rhodes said it was also part of Tongue's rehab to bowl him in short spells at present.

He said: "Josh is a guy where there is definitely more to come from him. He had a very good spell this morning and at the moment he sort of goes in and out of spells.

"He is young, he is just starting his career goes, and the longer his career goes, those consistent spells will be a lot more often.

"Some of those deliveries he bowled today…..he bowled a very quick bouncer to Donald that hit him and probably put him off his game a little bit. "He has definitely got some pace in him when he gets his rhythm up.

"The short spells, that is deliberate. He has got two screws in his back from a stress fracture so it is still part of his rehabilitation, back to bowling programme.

"It is very important we do things right."

Rhodes was quick to pay tribute to Worcestershire's head of sports and science, Ben Davies, for his role in the recovery of Tongue and Kohler-Cadmore.

He said: "Ben has done an amazing job with two of the players who have done really well in this game.

"Tom Kohler-Cadmore, not too long ago had shoulder surgery and we managed to get him fit for this game and he has scored a magnificent hundred.

"Ben has also done a great job with Josh Tongue and his rehabilitation."

Australian all-rounder John Hastings made an instant impact with five wickets and a half century in the game and also with words of wisdom to his Worcestershire team-mates.

Rhodes said: "He is a very upbeat, positive character. He is a winner and all those qualities he showed with the bat and the ball.

"But if you look closely, he made sure we stuck to our task. He made sure there was no slackening in the field.

"He was always on top of the boys and driving the lads. We are ready for a player like that to help out."