[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

County Championship, Group One

vs Derbyshire

Day One

Morning: Pears won the toss and elected to bat on a superb early summer day with spectators present at New Road for the first time in nearly two years. Whether the decision was influenced by the disasters Worcs have had in choosing to bowl first this season, it was nevertheless a risky strategy which came close to backfiring horribly when Daryl Mitchell perished LBW to Sam Conners for a golden duck off the first ball of the match. There was plenty in the pitch for the bowlers with a good deal of bounce and carry, and the lengthy new ball examination that followed saw both batsmen dropped at first slip before Tom Fell was caught behind for 12, leaving Worcestershire teetering on 21-2. After a brief and promising rebuild, calamity then struck as Jake Libby fell victim to some indecision on a misfield from young Jack Haynes, and was run out by a direct hit at the non-striker's end for 26. But calm heads and responsible batting from there saw out the session, and the Pears could claim even honours on a difficult morning at 98-3.

Afternoon: Ross Whiteley, making his first red-ball appearance in yonks after a good run captaining the seconds, couldn't quite hold his patience as he was caught at second slip for 22 thanks to a loose shot just after two o'clock. But as Haynes reached his half-century and Brett D'Oliveira joined him at the crease with some positive cricket, particularly against spinner Matt Critchley, the Pears kept Derbyshire out and the scoreboard ticking nicely for the remainder of the session, reaching tea on 214-4 with the session and the day so far now firmly in their pocket.

Evening: With the hundred partnership up, and a maiden century for Jack Haynes seemingly inevitable, it was agony all over again for the twenty-year-old when on 97 he received a rank leg-stump long hop from Critchley which made his eyes light up, tempting him into a flat pull which was plucked out of the air at deep square leg. Silly shot season continued unabated as Dolly also got himself out with a miscued pull on 71, and with six wickets down for less than 250, the Worcs innings looked in serious danger of subsiding. But Ben Cox and Ed Barnard saw off the second new ball and motored along impressively during the last hour, adding 88 before Coxy edged behind in the last over of the day, bringing Thursday to a conclusion with the home side 336-7. Still marginally Worcestershire's day, with the visitors probably a wicket or two short of what they'd have liked, though doubtless buoyed by the late breakthrough which keeps them in contention. With a tail that's used to wagging, it would be a disappointment now if the Pears didn't continue this innings for a decent spell in the morning and push the first innings total somewhere significantly closer to 400.