THE first day’s cricket at New Road of the season saw Worcestershire make cautious progress to 198-3 in their LV= County Championship Division Two clash with fellow early strugglers Leicestershire.
A run of three four-day fixtures, the university match and a YB40 clash all away from headquarters have made for a tough start to the campaign for Steve Rhodes’ side, who sit seven points below the visiting Foxes at the foot of the embryonic table. Therefore, the importance of making amends now back on home soil was not lost on the County’s batsmen.
Opener Matt Pardoe led by example in taking 174 balls to make 59 after skipper Daryl Mitchell (8) had departed in the fifth over when he was caught at third slip by Michael Thornley off Ollie Freckingham.
Moeen Ali batted fluently for 48 as he put on 78 with Pardoe, before he was snared by Thornley off medium pace left-armer Rob Taylor shortly before lunch.
Pardoe momentarily shook off his stoicism to loft Jigar Naik for six into the building site at the Severn corner of the ground.
The Leicestershire off-break bowler soon had his revenge, though, by turning one through Pardoe’s defences and the hosts’ run-rate gradually began to pick up with overseas batsman Thilan Samaraweera and Alexei Kervezee in the middle.
The Sri Lankan veteran received a let-off when it appeared he had been caught at short-leg by Matt Boyce when aiming a firm flick at Taylor. However, the ball had cannoned off the fielder’s chest and into his helmet, before he took the catch and the umpires correctly ruled a ‘dead ball’.
The rain set in during the tea break and 21 overs were lost, before the players returned at 6pm. However, only 13 balls were possible, which saw Samaraweera move to a 99-ball half-century, before the rain returned to end the day’s play.
