Rhodes' resilient response in vain as Foxes lose in three days
Thu 23 Sep 2021
DAY THREE | Leicestershire CCC 222 & 211 v Worcestershire CCC 422 & 12
SCORECARD | Available HERE
POINTS | Leicestershire 3, Worcestershire 24
REPORT | Day three got underway in different conditions to the previous two mornings as grey clouds descended over New Road.
The Running Foxes' bowling attack would have been hoping that the now more-favourable bowling conditions would help them see off the remaining four Worcestershire batsman as quickly and as cheaply as possible.
It took just four overs in the day for Chris Wright to make the breakthrough and move onto 49 first-class wickets for the 2021 season, as Ed Barnard was dismissed just before becoming the fourth Worcestershire half-centurion.
The Foxes man found the edge of Barnard for 48 as Sam Bates pouched the nick off from the first ball of the 111th over.
The remaining three wickets then fell for Worcestershire within the next nine overs “ Abi Sakande claiming all three “ for 36 runs.
First of the three remaining batsmen to go was Ben Cox who only added seven further runs to his score on day three before Bates took his second catch of the day.
Sakande angled one back into Cox who edged it behind for 59.
Joe Leach and Josh Baker were now in the middle for the hosts, but the ninth wicket partnership recorded just a 13-run stand before falling.
Leach (12) was the man to go, as this time Wright was on the receiving end of the on-side drive at mid-wicket, after the Worcestershire captain drove one straight to him.
Twelve deliveries and 11 runs later and Sakande brought the hosts’ first innings to a close with the wicket of Baker for 3.
Former-Pears man, George Rhodes assisted, by taking the lofted mis-timed drive of Baker at cover as Worcestershire’s innings closed on 422 with Dillon Pennington the man not out on 10.
Leicestershire entered the second innings trailing by 200 exactly, with 12 overs of the morning session remaining.
The hosts got off to a flying start, claiming four County wickets in the remaining morning session overs before the Running Foxes headed into lunch on 35 for four, trailing by 165.
The first Leicestershire wicket to fall was Rishi Patel (0), after Leach delivered a peach with his fifth ball of the day.
The delivery seamed back in wickedly and crashed into the top of Patel’s off stump as he shouldered arms, and Leicestershire were 3 for one after 0.5 overs.
Less than two overs later and Leach had his second, this time Hassan Azad (4) the victim.
The Foxes man looked to play at Leach’s delivery which was angled away from the left-hander but could only manage to nick it through to wicketkeeper Ben Cox.
Lewis Hill emerged to join Rhodes (12*) in the middle but was soon back in the pavilion after recording two runs from 15 deliveries.
Leach again the man to strike, after Hill who looked to defend the delivery away, nicked it through to Jack Haynes at first slip.
The first session was then brought to a premature end by five deliveries with the wicket of Louis Kimber for four.
Charlie Morris came into the attack and struck with his 13th delivery of the day after finding a thick outside edge which squirted away to the hands of Ed Barnard stood at third slip.
The wicket of Kimber brought the lunch interval about with Leicestershire in a difficult position on 35 for four.
Ben Mike accompanied Rhodes (24*) to the middle after the lunch break with the fifth wicket partnership looking to add some resistance to the Leicestershire batting line up after Worcestershire’s impressive start to the second innings.
The duo looked to have settled at the crease rather quickly, with both batsmen picking up the boundary rate early on in the second session.
Rhodes showed impetus with the first six of the innings in the ninth afternoon session over as he pulled Morris all the way over square leg.
Five overs later and the partnership’s fiftieth run was up after 86 balls and 59 minutes together.
Back-to-back boundaries from Mike in the 32nd over first saw County over the 100 run mark, and then saw himself bring up his half-century as he pulled Pennington away over mid-wicket.
The fifty came up in 63 balls and included ten fours.
Rhodes then joined Mike on recording his half-century exactly three overs later after cutting Baker away backward of point for his eighth four “ the fifty came from 103 balls, including eight fours and one six.
The fifth wicket partnership was growing in stature as Rhodes and Mike both did more than settle the Running Foxes' batting line up following a top-order collapse.
The partnership recorded as many as 88 runs before coming to an end, off the bowling of Barnard “ the Worcestershire man seamed one back into Mike and wrapped him on his pads for an important 58.
Leicestershire then lost two further wickets for just 23 runs with Sam Bates struggling to make headway into the remaining deficit alongside Rhodes.
Bates recorded six runs before nudging a Barnard delivery through to Haynes at first slip.
Ed Barnes was next to the crease, but failed to match Bates’ contribution as Baker struck to dismiss the Foxes man for five.
Barnes played down the wrong line of the left-arm spinner's delivery and watched as the ball clattered into the top of his middle and off stumps.
County were 146 for seven as Callum Parkinson joined Rhodes in the middle with Leicestershire now in need of another partnership as they still trailed by 54.
The duo did well to stem the oncoming Worcestershire tide, Parkinson in-particularly as he embarked upon a disciplined performance to see his side through to the end of the third day.
The partnership steadily chipped away at the deficit with the Foxes skipper taking 46 deliveries before getting on the scoreboard.
Parkinson began to open up slightly as the third day neared its conclusion, after recording boundaries off Morris and Barnard.
Rhodes meanwhile at the other end, had slowed his scoring rate down as he continued his mature innings.
With four overs remaining, the hosts’ toil in the field paid off as they broke the eighth wicket stand with the wicket of Parkinson.
Pennington was the man to make the breakthrough after finding the edge of the Foxes skipper which was caught by Barnard for 21.
Chris Wright joined Rhodes (85*) in the middle with 4.2 overs remaining in the day.
Wright came in and recorded two fours off the bowling of Pennington to wipe out the remaining deficit and put the Running Foxes into the lead.
The Foxes were three deliveries from overnight safety, but two wickets in the final over saw Worcestershire extend play in the third day with victory in sight.
First to go was Rhodes after a gritty, determined innings came to an end on 90 as Pennington found the edge which was caught behind by Cox.
Abi Sakande joined Wright (10*) in the middle and immediately got his boundary account up and running.
The Foxes man flicked Pennington down to fine leg and over the rope for four before the bowler struck back with his wicket.
Sakande edged the very next delivery “ the final one of the day's scheduled play “ to the hands of Barnard at third slip.
Leicestershire were all out for 211, leading by 11, as Worcestershire extended the days play with victory in sight.
Chris Wright opened the bowling for the Running Foxes as Daryl Mitchell and Jake Libby emerged to begin the 12-run chase.
It took just 2.4 overs before the required runs were recorded, subsequently, earning Worcestershire a final round defeat within three days at New Road.
FIGURES (1st inns) | Wright 31-6-97-3, Sakande 21.2-1-66-3, Mike 17-1-75-0, Barnes 14-1-70-1, Parkinson 31-7-70-3, Rhodes 5-0-23-0
FIGURES (2ns inns) | Leach 18-7-25-3, Pennington 13-1-59-3, Morris 13-1-45-1, Barnard 12-2-41-2, Baker 20-9-26-1, D’Oliveira 2-1-4-0, Mitchell 3-1-6-0
Wright 1.4-0-11-0, Barnes 1-0-1-0
TEAM | Hassan Azad, Rishi Patel, George Rhodes, Lewis Hill, Louis Kimber, Sam Bates (wk), Ben Mike, Ed Barnes, Callum Parkinson (C), Chris Wright, Abi Sakande
WORCESTERSHIRE CCC | Jake Libby, Daryl Mitchell, Gareth Roderick, Jack Haynes, Brett D’Oliveira, Ed Barnard, Ben Cox (wk), Joe Leach (C), Josh Baker, Dillon Pennington, Charlie Morris
IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for providing the images throughout the game.
