WORCESTERSHIRE soon lost Stephen Peters and Andy Bichel when they launched there Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy second round clash against Herefordshire at New Road today.

Peters was snapped up at second slip by former England Test star Martin Mc-Cague off paceman Simon Roberts for just five.

Peters had opened the innings with South African all-rounder Andrew Hall after Herefordshire had won the toss.

Bichel joined Hall, but managed only a single before being caught low down at mid-off by Richard Hall off 21-year-old Rob-erts, who was operating from the Diglis end.

It left the shell-shocked County on 8-2 after four overs with Hall being partnered by Graeme Hick in a bid to repair the damage.

Unavailable

Herefordshire were without Sri Lanka star batsman Aravinda de Silva, who was unavailable today after being lined up to play yesterday at waterlogged Mortimer Park.

The tie at Kingsland was abandoned without a ball being bowled. His place was taken by former New Road wicketkeeper Ismail Dawood.

For Worcestershire, Hall replaced the injured Vik-ram Solanki who dislocated a finger in Sunday's victory over Sussex.

WORCESTERSHIRE: Peters, Moore, Hick, Smith, Leatherdale, Hall, Bichel, Rhodes, Mason, Shaftab, Malik.

HEREFORDSHIRE: Dawood, Hall, Willetts, Hughes, Boroughs, Rawnsley, Davies, McCague, Rose, Roberts, Horrocks.