WORCESTERSHIRE over 60s opened their 2010 campaign with a 45-over friendly against Somerset at Barnards Green.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bat on a well-prepared wicket.

Paul Bachelor and Peter Slocombe opened steadily against accurate bowling from Cliff Rawlings and Trevor Knowles, scoring just six runs in the first eight overs.

Worcestershire captain Colin Groves then replaced Rawlings with John Goodreds, who maintained the accuracy and hostility, until Knowles gave way to new member Adrian Pawsey after the 12th over with the Somerset score on 14.

The opening batsmen started to make some headway, taking their total to 58 by the 21st over when Slocombe (41) was bowled by Pawsey.

This brought John Thackery to the action and he immediately took the fight to the bowlers, increasing the scoring rate considerably. Bachelor (28) was then well caught by Roger Price off the bowling of Groves with the Somerset score on 96 in the 29th over.

In came Rod Cooper to support Thackery and together they added some quick runs, before Groves bowled Cooper for 13.

Dave Spragg was soon bowled by Groves, but Ken Lunn picked up the pace again and with the fast-scoring Thackery added 71 runs in 11 overs before being bowled by Rawlings for 19 in the 44th over.

Derek Ebbage was invited to bowl the final over and had Thackery, who was chasing quick runs, spectacularly caught by John Shepherd for 84. Somerset’s innings closed on 193-6.

Goodreds produced the most economical bowling spell, only conceding 20 runs in his nine overs.

Worcestershire’s reply was started by Shepherd and John Swift.

The score raced to 22 by the fifth over, mainly due to some wild deliveries from Dave Foster and Derick Robbins.

The openers batted positively, taking the score to 84 for the wicket of Shepherd (25). Swift (34) followed two overs later, LBW to Mike Brimble, with the score standing at 93-2 in the 20th over.

This brought together Knowles and Keith Middleton who, with some lusty shots, raced the score to 118 by the 23rd over, when Knowles was caught one-handed on the boundary by Cooper.

Ebbage joined Middleton and 30 runs were added in just five overs before Middleton (24) was bowled by Bobby Gould.

This left Dick Brown (22 not out) and Ebbage (36no) to advance the total to 197-4 by the 35th over to conclude a fine run chase as Worcestershire won by six wickets.