Worcestershire Academy’s fine victory over Devon at Sandford in their final game lifted them into fourth spot in the ECB County Championship Division 4A table.
Zain Ul-Hassan’s unbeaten century sealed a splendid fightback by the County who have played some fine cricket in the competition consisting of three-day matches this summer.
Xavie Clarke (108 versus Hampshire) and Dan Holland (136 against Somerset) have also scored hundreds during the quartet of games.
There were six wicket hauls for Ed Bragg (6-21 against Hampshire) and Josh Baker (6-105 versus Somerset).
Academy Coach Elliot Wilson said: “Over the four games, we played on a very flat surface at Stourbridge (against Hampshire) and had a draw in a game which petered out in the end.
“Against Somerset we were just always not quite as good as them. We weren’t miles off them but they were just a bit better all the way through.
“With Gloucestershire, the only way we could try and create a result was to take on a 450 run chase (by declaring a long way behind).
“We could easily have won three out of four games and some lads are showing some progress.
“There were three century-makers, Xavie Clarke, Dan Holland and Zain Ul-Hassan.
“Zain’s hundred on the last day against Devon was great for Zain and great for us, not only for him to score a hundred, but for him to score one which saw us over the line was massive.”
Regarding the overall performance against Devon, Wilson said: “Devon was a great exercise in lots of ways. On day one we could have bowled them out for 150 because they were 40 odd for five on the first morning.
“They then had a record partnership down the order and a lad scored a double hundred who has never scored a hundred before and the number 11 got sixty odd.
“Those things happen every now and then and we were a long way behind the game.
“We batted tidily in the first innings where a number of guys made small contributions – Riecko Parker-Cole, Aaron Tomson, Dan Holland.
“We were behind in the game but still in the game. Then on the second evening we bowled well and got them two wickets down for twenty odd and could have had more wickets.
“Then on the final morning we knocked them over quite cheaply.
“When we batted again, Dan Holland and Callum Lea batted slowly at the top but batted for a period of time which meant the bowlers were going to get into their second and third spells of the day and we then quite comfortably knocked it off.”
—
ECB CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION 4A
FINAL TABLE
Somerset Played 4, Won 3, Lost 0, Drawn 1, Bat 14, Bowl 16, Penalty 0, Points 83
Devon 4, 2, 2, 0, 11, 16, 0, 59
Gloucs 4, 2, 2, 0, 13, 13, 0, 58
WORCS 4, 1, 2, 1, 10, 16, 2, 45
Hants 4, 0, 2, 2, 14, 16, 0, 40
