Wednesday, May 31st, 2017

Westbury Finds Red Ball Form With Century At Cheltenham

Westbury Finds Red Ball Form With Century At Cheltenham

Worcestershire Seconds opener Ollie Westbury made a return to form in red ball cricket with a century on the second day of the three-day friendly with Gloucestershire Seconds at Cheltenham College.

Westbury, who recently signed a new contract at New Road, played a major role in the Seconds Trophy campaign with 143 versus Derbyshire and exactly 100 against MCC Young Cricketers.

He has experienced a challenging start to the season in three and four-day matches but made 118 on another run-drenched day which produced 494 in total for the loss of just four wickets.

Westbury survived one early chance on 22 but grew in confidence and in total batted for 244 balls and hit 13 fours.

He shared in an opening stand of 99 in 29.1 overs with skipper George Rhodes who looked in good nick in making 61 off 89 deliveries with one six and 11 fours.

Rhodes was run out attempting a single to square leg and then Alexei Kervezee (22) fell to the final delivery before lunch when he was caught at square leg.

But Westbury and Alex Hepburn, whose 70 not out off 121 balls contained one six and 10 fours, added 141 for the third wicket in 40 overs.

Rhodes threw the game open by declaring 164 runs behind shortly after Westbury's fine knock ended after he lofted the ball to backward point.

The runs continued to flow when Gloucestershire, who had declared at their overnight 455-7, batted for a second time.

Cameron Bancroft (84 not out from 90 balls with eight fours) and Brandon Gilmour (88 off 84 balls with one six and nine fours) added 169 in 26.5 overs for the first wicket.

Rhodes made the only breakthrough in dismissing Gilmour as Gloucestershire closed on 203-1 – a lead of 367.

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Worcestershire Seconds – first innings

GH Rhodes run out (CJW Gregory) 61

OE Westbury c GS Drissell b GL van Buuren 118

AN Kervezee c CT Bancroft b MAH Hammond 22

A Hepburn* not out 70

RA Whiteley not out 0

Extras 20

Total (for 3 wickets ) dec 291 in 79 overs

FOW: 99, 140, 281

Bowling

MD Taylor 14-3-62-0

OC Currill 6-2-14-0

K Noema-Barnett 7-3-16-0

MAH Hammond 15-3-49-1

CJW Gregory 8-0-44-0

GL van Buuren 12-1-41-1

GS Drissell 12-2-31-0

BS Gilmour 5-1-30-0

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Gloucestershire Seconds – second innings

CT Bancroft not out 84

BS Gilmour c OE Westbury b GH Rhodes 88

GH Roderick+ not out 20

Extras 11

Total (for 1 wicket) 203 in 31 overs

FOW: 169

Bowling

PR Brown 3-0-24-0

DY Pennington 2-0-15-0

AW Finch 2-0-17-0

BJ Twohig 7-0-44-0

A Hepburn 8-0-38-0

GH Rhodes 6-0-33-1

Z Ul-A Malik 3-0-27-0