Daryl Mitchell has praised the quality of pitch prepared by Worcestershire head groundsman Tim Packwood for the opening LV = County Championship clash with Yorkshire at New Road.
But the county skipper admitted the second innings dismissal for only 100 scuppered their plans to make life difficult for the Tykes batting last on a turning pitch with Sachithra Senanayake and Moeen Ali in tandem.
And Mitchell says Worcestershire cannot afford to have "those bad hours, two hours" in Division One cricket.
Opener Mitchell said: "That was as little amount of grass as we've had on the wicket for a long time.
"We were down to three millimetres on the wicket on purpose with a view that we've got two international spinners in our team and also to try and negate one of the best seam attacks in the country.
"The wicket was very dry. Tim did a fantastic job with that wicket. It was a fantastic wicket. It was tailormade and a formula that worked well for us last year, batting first and getting runs on the board and to a degree it worked the first two days against Yorkshire.
"We would have taken parity at the half-way point and just needed to get 200-250 in front and we would have fancied our chances with Senanayake and Moeen to bowl.
It would have turned nicely on day four and been a difficult score to chase.
"But in First Division cricket you can't afford to have those bad hours, two hours. If you have those bad hour, two hours, 99 times out of a 100 you are probably going to lose the game.
"To be bowled out for 100, you won't win many cricket matches."
