Oli Caswell hit an unbeaten half century as the Worcestershire Development Of Excellence (WDOE) side made a strong response against the Oxfordshire Emerging Player Programme (OEPP) on the opening day of a two-day clash at Dumbleton CC.
OEPP opted to bat after winning the toss and totalled 220-6 declared from 64 overs before declaring and then WDOE replied with 110-3 from 38 overs.
When OEPP batted, Charlie Greening removed both openers and then Reeve Evitts brought about a mid innings collapse.
He struck three times in the space of four overs as OEPP slumped from 157-2 to 174-5. Zak Abbas claimed the other wicket before the declaration.
Caswell and WDOE skipper Dan Holland gave their team a solid start with an opening stand of 58 before the latter was dismissed for 20.
Two more wickets fell quickly but Caswell and Tom Longworth saw WDOE through to the close without any further setbacks.
Caswell remained undefeated on 58 from 117 balls with nine fours with Longworth 18 not out.
Oxfordshire Emerging Player Programme -first innings
L Higgins lbw b C Greening 34
A Turner b C Greening 22
G Tait c A Tomson b R Evitts 60
D Jarvis b R Evitts 31
W Hawtin* b R Evitts 8
D Driscol c D Holland b Z Abbas 14
H Pretorius not out 13
A Chapman not out 10
Extras 28
Total (for 6 wickets declared) 220
FOW: 58, 92, 157, 169, 174, 200
Bowling
B.Lovatt 10-4-22-0
H Akram 11-0-36-0
B Sutton 9-3-21-0
R Evitts 10-2-40-3
C Greening 9-3-31-2
Z Abbas 15-2-54-1
Worcestershire Development of Excellence – first innings
D Holland* c W Laird b H Pretorius 20
O Caswell not out 58
J Abotts b H Pretorius 0
O Halion b E Davie 3
T Longworth not out 18
Extras 11
Total (for 3 wickets) 110
FOW: 58, 58, 71
Bowling
A Chapman 7-2-19-0
C Turner 4-1-15-0
E Davie 11-3-22-1
L Higgins 1-0-4-0
D Jarvis 5-1-13-0
H Pretorius 5-0-19-2
G Tait 4-0-9-0
A Turner 1-1-0-0
