Coach Kevin Sharp has revealed Worcestershire Seconds philosophy of "being prepared to lose to win" as they return to red ball action in the three-day friendly with Glamorgan at Abergavenny starting today.
The Seconds are sitting proudly at the top of the Second Eleven Championship table with two matches to play and have tried to play positive cricket and to force results throughout the campaign.
They were on the receiving end of a three wicket defeat by Warwickshire after both teams revived a game that appeared doomed for a draw but reaped the benefits of a seven wicket win over Leicestershire after a similar agreement breathed life back into the match.
Sharp said: "Our philosophy here would always be to be prepared to lose to win and make sure if the game is not taking its course on the third day that we somehow get into a situation where we can have a really good game of cricket in the last two sessions.
"There is nothing worse than playing 'dead' cricket for two thirds of the last day for a monotonous draw.
"For example, on the second day of the game with Leicestershire we had a conversation with the Leicestershire coach about how we thought the game was heading
"We declared short of a bonus point at tea-time but it was a case of 'let's not go out and waste another four or five overs' so we forfeited that with a view to either bowling them out in the third innings or chasing a target on the final afternoon.
"Both situations were available to us. Either way, there is a chance for the game to be set up at lunch-time on the final day with both teams being prepared to lose to have the chance to win.
"It was the same against Warwickshire when the result just went the other way.
"But, if you win half of your games and lose half of your games, you won't be far off winning the league."
Sharp added: "Three day cricket is very different to four day cricket. Four day cricket generally takes its natural course. Three day cricket doesn't always do that.
"If you are not careful you can get to 12 o'clock on the last day and the game is dead so you've got to be thinking ahead on day two of 'where is this heading now' or 'do we need to do anything to get this game into a place where we can have a finish.'
"Philosophies differ. Some clubs would be happy to do it that way, some not as much. That's just the way it is."
Charlie Morris will skipper the Seconds at Abergavenny as Sharp continues the policy of different players being given the opportunity to lead the team.
Alex Hepburn is available for the first day but will then join the senior squad for the NatWest T20 Blast match with Derbyshire Falcons at New Road tomorrow.
Seconds:
Fell
Westbury
Dell
Malik
Milton (w)
Jack Haynes
Hepburn
Twohig
Pennington
Morris (c)
Scrimshaw
12th man: Wheldon
