Monday, July 15th, 2019

ED BARNARD: DAY TWO REACTION DURHAM VERSUS WORCESTERSHIRE

Worcestershire all-rounder Ed Barnard gave his reaction at the end of day two of the Specsavers County Championship match with Durham at the Emirates Riverside.

Barnard finished with 4-42 – his best figures of the season – to continue the good form he showed against Derbyshire at Kidderminster.

He told BBC Hereford-Worcester’s Dave Bradley: “I thought we bowled really well this morning, probably better than yesterday where we got a bit more luck.

“We managed to finish off the tail pretty quickly in the end to keep them to 200 which is what we were hoping for at the start of the day.

“Obviously they bowled well, we managed to get somewhere near them. Hopefully we can come back at them in the morning, bowl well and keep it down to a score that we will be able to chase.

“The wickets either side of lunch were a reward for the way we bowled in the morning when there was a lot of playing and missing and some close shouts which could have gone either way.”

Barnard picked up four wickets for the second successive innings and he said: “I think for the last couple of games it has felt good.

“I was happy with the way I bowled last week at Kidderminster (against Derbyshire) . I was a bit disappointed with the way I started yesterday but found a bit of rhythm and managed to pick up some wickets.

“It is seaming around and Chris Rushworth is brilliant in conditions like that and he will be a big danger in the second innings.

“But it is not unplayable. If we can keep them to a decent total we have still got a chance of chasing it and winning the game.

“The ball will still be new tomorrow morning and if we can knock over the top order quickly and then get into the rest of them, it will set us up nicely for a chase.”