Lancashire were the visitors to New Road for a crucial LV= County Championship Division 1 match for both sides at opposite ends of the table. Worcestershire named an unchanged team from the previous match against Hampshire with Kemar Roach making his New Road debut. Glen Chapple won the toss for the visitors for the visitors and elected to bat first.

The Worcestershire bowlers made good use of having first use of the pitch in slightly overcast conditions. Alan Richardson had a superb opening spell of 1-9 in eight overs. Roach was a little more expensive in his first spell with 1-39 in six overs but still gave the batsmen trouble at times with some seriously quick deliveries. The visitors lost two early wickets, both to LBW but were looking to rebuild with a 3rd wicket stand between Stephen Moore and Mark Chilton. The partnership was worth 41 runs before Richard Jones bowled Moore for 18 and then trapping Steven Croft the very next ball LBW for 0.

Gareth Andrew came on at the New Road end to replace Richardson and took three wickets in four balls in his second over for a treble wicket maiden with a fine display of swing bowling. Chilton was the first to go for 22 as the visitors collapsed to 67-7. Roach picked up a further wicket in his return over before the lunch interval to leave Lancashire on 109-8 going into the break, helped by a quick fire aggressive innings by Sajid Mahmood who had quickly reached 28* with some big hitting. It was a remarkable morning session with three ducks and another two scores under 5. The occasional ball did keep low, but nothing excessive, with swing movement contributing to some of the wickets to fall.

Roach picked up Mahmood's wicket on the third ball after lunch bowling him for 28. Kyle Hogg frustrated Worcestershire with a fine innings of 46 off 43 balls in a last wicket stand of 48 with Gareth Keedy before being caught at mid on by Aneesh Kapil off Richardson. Lancashire were dismissed for 161. Andrew finished with figures of 3-37 and Roach 3-69 with two wickets apiece for Jones and Richardson.

The Worcestershire reply got off to a very similar start to the Lancashire innings with two quick wickets and a small stand for the 3rd wicket. Chapple and Hogg both picked up a wicket in their opening spells but it was Tom Smith who did the damage as first change taking 3-21 as the home side collapsed themselves to 77-5 by the tea interval. The only difference from the Lancashire innings was that one of the openers was still at the crease, James Cameron.

The evening session belonged to Worcestershire who produced a fighting batting display with only one wicket falling in the session to allow them to take a small 1st innings lead by the close of play. Gareth Andrew was Cameron's first partner in the session making 17 before becoming the 6th wicket to fall with the score on 116. Cameron was then joined by Ben Scott who then guided Worcestershire to the close of play with an unbeaten 7th wicket stand of 90 runs. Cameron after a controlled, measured innings moved up the gears and started to hit out more, finishing the day on 87* with Scott on 45*.

Worcestershire closed the day on 209-6, a lead of 48 runs ahead to leave themselves in a good position at the end of the first day, but knowing there was still a lot of work to do if they were going to get a result against a very disciplined Lancashire team.

Close of Play Day 1: Lancashire 161. Worcestershire 209-6.