[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

County Championship, Division Two

vs Middlesex

Day One

Morning: The Pears won the toss and put Middlesex in to bat on an overcast day with a delayed start. Batting first had obviously been the plan for the visitors, but it seemed a very questionable one as the ball zipped around early doors. Charlie Morris struck in his first over to dismiss Max Holden caught behind for a duck, leaving Middlesex 2-1, and though they battled on to consolidate their position in the hour that followed, the southerners rode their luck time and again. A delivery from Josh Tongue that kept low was enough to see off Sam Robson LBW for 15, and Worcestershire picked up the third wicket their efforts deserved when Ross Whiteley bowled Nick Gubbins for 27. However, with Dawid Malan and Stevie Eskinazi at the crease the visitors were still threatening, and in the circumstances were probably satisfied with the morning's outcome as they reached lunch on 97-3.

Afternoon: A steady start after the interval with a few boundaries, and things had just started to look ominous for the Pears when Whiteley made the breakthrough, trapping Eskinazi LBW for 27. Morris claimed the prize wicket of Malan leg-before for 45 shortly after, and things began to unravel for Middlesex. Worcestershire continued to attack, taking the gamble of pitching the ball up, and James Harris was the next to be adjudged LBW for 12 off Ed Barnard. Toby Roland-Jones added 12 of his own before edging to first slip when he attempted to cut Joe Leach, and Josh Tongue removed Tom Helm for 1, completing a successful session for Worcs and leaving Middlesex 191-8 at tea.

Evening: The tail threatened to wag for Middlesex, and it took some good bowling from Tongue to see off Nathan Sowter LBW for 20, before John Simpson holed out on the offside off Charlie Morris as the visitors were all out for 221. However, there remained a solid two hours of play in the day, and when Daryl Mitchell and George Rhodes both edged behind off Tom Helm to leave the Pears 9-2 it looked very grim. It required some watchful play and brisk counter-attacking cricket from Callum Ferguson to steady the ship before he fell LBW for 37 just before close, but Worcestershire's real hero with the bat was Tom Fell, playing yet another patient knock with 15 off 86 balls to reach the end of the day unbeaten. The opener's fierce resistance has gone unrewarded in previous games, and as he remains at the crease with nightwatchman Tongue and the Pears are 64-3 overnight, I only hope he can push on and make the big score his tenacity deserves in this innings.