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County Championship, Division Two

vs Lancashire

Day One

Morning: Lancashire won the toss and put the Pears in to bat on a day when ball dominated bat from beginning to end. Inside nineteen overs Worcestershire were reduced to 38-7 after a new-ball onslaught from Jimmy Anderson and Graham Onions, and a new record low score for this fixture was on the cards. It took Ben Cox to provide a bit of counter-attacking impetus, joining forces with Wayne Parnell to pick up the pieces in the last half-hour of the morning session and shepherd the Pears to a much-needed break on 66-7.

Afternoon: Though Cox perished for a fighting 32, caught behind off an inside edge, the resistance continued for Worcestershire. Joe Leach wasted no time going on the attack, striking five early boundaries on his way to a run-a-ball 36; but it was Wayne Parnell who anchored the innings for the wagging tail, scoring 63 before being the last man to go on the stroke of tea, leaving the visitors 172 all out. A miraculous fightback in the circumstances, but one which had to be matched by a sterling effort from the bowlers.

Evening: With wickets tumbling up and down the country, Lancashire looked to play it cautious from the start as the Pears went with an attacking field, but if the bowling wasn't quite as explosive as the Anderson-Onions effort in the morning, then no one could fault the visitors for perseverance. And that perseverance was rewarded, first with the wicket of Keaton Jennings caught at fourth slip off Joe Leach for 3, and then Jake Lehmann snaffled at first slip off Wayne Parnell for 8. Again Lancashire dug in, and managed a good half an hour free of alarm until Charlie Morris struck the vital blow of pinning Haseeb Hameed LBW for 29. Still it looked like the Red Rose might see out the day on top, but Parnell - who must have eaten the entire team's Weetabix for breakfast - struck twice after six o'clock, removing Rob Jones for 25 with a juggled catch at second slip and then nightwatchman Jimmy Anderson LBW for 4 in the last over. Lancashire 88-5 at close of play, trailing by 84.

Those fourth and fifth wickets evened up a day which looked for all money like Worcestershire had lost in the first hour, but with Livingstone at the crease and batting still to come, it'll only take one decent partnership for Lancashire to grab a substantial lead in a low-scoring game. Early inroads vital in the morning.