WORCESTERSHIRE opener Jake Libby scored a memorable hundred against his former county before Nottinghamshire fought back strongly with the ball on the opening day of the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter at New Road.
Libby followed up his 180 not out against Essex in the opening game at Chelmsford by hitting 117 from 217 balls with two sixes and 10 fours after home captain Joe Leach opted to bat.
He and opener Daryl Mitchell shared an opening stand of 140 but then seven wickets went down for 76 runs as spinner Liam Patterson-White extracted some turn and Luke Fletcher bowled with great discipline.
But the day took another twist in the final session with Ed Barnard and Alzarri Joseph putting on a eighth wicket stand of 89 runs to take them to 305/7.
The Worcestershire openers played with great freedom and Libby brought up his half century and the hundred partnership in unusual circumstances after playing Steve Mullaney to deep cover for two.
The ball was returned to keeper Tom Moores who tried to run Mitchell out with a throw to the non-striker’s end but instead the ball raced away for four overthrows.
Libby hit six conventional boundaries in his 86 ball fifty, plus the one six, while the century stand occupied 26.2 overs.
Mitchell’s first Championship half century of the season was completed with a leg glance for his sixth four off Chappell.
The partnership was eventually broken on 140 when Mitchell on 59 drove at a widish delivery from Luke Fletcher and edged through to keeper Tom Moores.
Only one run was added before Tom Fell (1) looked to work Chappell of his legs and was lbw.
The Nottinghamshire attack bowled a tighter line during the afternoon session.
Gareth Roderick (1) nibbled at a delivery from Paterson which moved away and provided Moores with a comfortable catch.
A superb piece of fielding from Fletcher led to Brett D’Oliveira’s downfall on three.
He steered Patterson-White to backward point and was called through for a single by Libby. But D’Oliveira hesitated setting off and failed to beat Fletcher’s direct hit at the non-striker’s end.
Libby brought up his 100 in the grand manner when he pulled a short ball from Paterson over the square leg boundary.
Riki Wessels (13) was bowled by a superb Patterson-White delivery which pitched on the middle stump and hit off and Libby nicked a widish ball from Fletcher through to Moores.
It became 216-7 when Ben Cox went lbw after paddle sweeping at Patterson-White.
It was looking rather bleak at that stage but Alzarri Joseph (46 not out) and Ed Barnard (40 not out) came in and steadied the ship before the day ended on 305/7.
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