Wells and Hurt take three apiece
Thu 5 May 2016
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
We arrived at The Wilson Field, Oakham for Day 2 of this SEC match to be greeted by warm sunshine. The outfield and surrounding sports pitches are finely manicured, the ‘Wembley Stripes’ on the ground look fantastic when viewed from my elevated vantage point.
I have rarely seen so much grass, with so few weeds. This cricketing eldorado looked splendid in the early morning sunshine, with a number of equine beasts grazing in the fields at the back of The Oakham Veterinary Hospital.
Worcestershire resumed on their overnight 104-0 trailing by 147 runs with George Rhodes 56* and Oli Westbury 36*. The total had moved to 115 when Rhodes (57) was superbly caught at low down at first slip by Aadil Ali off Atif Sheikh.
Alexei Kervezee (7) was next to go caught at cover by Rob Taylor off the bowling of Chad Barrett. Westbury went to his half-century (6x4 from 146b). Alex Hepburn (8) went soon afterwards, again smartly taken by Ali at first slip off the bowling of Liam Hurt.
County then had a further breakthrough when the obstinate Westbury (54) was caught behind by Lewis Hill, diving to his right, again off Hurt. Worcestershire went into lunch on 180-4 from 67 overs.
The afternoon session belonged to Worcestershire, as they advanced their total to 320-6 at tea. Only two wickets fell in the afternoon session. Alex Milton (33) went lbw to Rob Sayer and Zen Malik (25) was trapped lbw by Hurt.
A partnership of 113 for the seventh wicket between Twohig and Tett (not a firm of Solicitors) spanned the tea interval. Twohig surviving a very difficult caught behind chance, down the leg-side, off Tom Wells when on 25. I won’t mention that Ned Eckersley had replaced Lewis Hill behind the stumps for the afternoon session.
Ben Twohig went to his 50 (5x4/1x6 from 72b). The partnership was finally broken when Tegg (38) was bowled by Wells. Chris Russell arrived at the crease and made a hearty little knock of 17 from 13 balls. The score now on 359-8.
Charlie Morris came in, was all revved up, but went for 1, caught behind by Hill off Wells. He was straight back in the garage with the score on 363-9, Hill having replaced Eckersley behind the stumps at tea time. Nothing to do with the earlier difficult chance I hasten to add, just keeper rotation.
Twohig was now on 88 when last man King joined him at the crease (a very ‘andy chap to have coming in at number 11). He managed to add 11 runs to take him to 99, whilst also turning down a number of singles to shield King from the bowling.
Twohig was on 99 when he offered a chance to Eckersley at wide mid-on from Wells’ bowling, and that was the end of the innings, Worcestershire 374 all out a lead of 123 runs, Wells and Hurt taking three wickets apiece. Worcestershire 7 points, Leicestershire 5 points at this stage.
There was a cluster of spectators assembled adjacent to the sightscreen at the Pavilion End throughout the Worcestershire innings, and beyond, amongst them, yes you know who, fellow Blue Army foot soldier CJ Stone Esq.
There must be a name for a group of people who congregate alongside a sightscreen, how about Sightographum? Chris did a sterling job during the day moving the screen at regular intervals as bowling at the Pavilion End kept regularly changing from over to round the wicket, and back again, with the odd left armer thrown in.
I reckon Chris should be issued with a white coat to add authority to this demanding role, and to recognise the responsibility he accepts. I did however notice that he was not so fast out of his seat when Worcestershire were in the field.
Oh yes, back to the cricket. Leicestershire had 15 overs to bat in the day, but got off to a tough start. Eckersley (2) was adjudged caught behind down the leg-side and Harry Dearden (3) soon followed, caught at backward square when pulling seamer Morris. Dearden looked very cross with himself as he knew that someone of his ability could have put the ball out of harm’s way.
County were on the ropes at 7-2 from 4.1 overs but Hill (7*) and Ali (28*) saw out the remaining overs. Ali looked to punish anything in his arc and stroked six beautiful boundaries in his 28* from 37 balls. Hill dug in with application to the situation for 7* from 32 balls. County trailing at the close by 79 runs.
