4:20pm Wednesday 25th August 2010
WORCESTERSHIRE seamer Alan Richardson took two wickets against Northamptonshire on a rain-affected first day of the LV= County Championship Division Two clash at Wantage Road.
Only 34 overs were possible due to persistent rain sweeping the country in the afternoon, with Northamptonshire closing on 96-3 and Alex Wakely top-scoring with 48.
Richardson took the wickets of Ben Howgego and Wakely in claiming figures of 2-21 with the home side losing two quick wickets after lunch before the heavens opened.
Northamptonshire won the toss, chose to bat in overcast conditions and survived an early scare.
Worcestershire wicketkeeper Ben Cox thought he had caught Howgego off Richardson in the first over but his appeal was turned down.
It was slow going for the hosts at the start with only 21 runs being scored in the first 13 overs.
Howgego, in particular, found it hard to get going and he made just four off 35 balls before his frustration got the better of him when he struck Richardson straight to Gareth Andrew at gully.
The arrival of Wakely allowed Northamptonshire to free themselves from their early malaise and the runs began to flow more freely.
Wakely and Stephen Peters added 70 runs together in the morning as the hosts recovered from their shaky start to make it to 91-1 at lunch.
Peters had batted sensibly all morning and showed more poise than his fellow opener Howgego - and knew when to play his shots or defend.
But Wakely, who was just two short of a half-century, perished in the second over of the afternoon session when he edged Richardson to Vikram Solanki at first slip.
Solanki then took a second catch in the following over when he snared David Sales (4) in the same position off the bowling of Jack Shantry.
Rob Newton came out to replace Sales but he did not get the chance to score before rain stopped play midway through the 35th over soon after 2pm.
Eventually, the umpires, Mark Benson and Nick Cook, made the decision to abandon play for the day an hour-and-a-half later, meaning 61 overs were lost.
Peters and 20-year-old Newton will resume at the crease tomorrow, weather permitting, with the former looking to push on from 38 not out.
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