Wright Stars on Opening Day of Season

Rain delays dominated the opening day of the 2022 campaign, but the Running Foxes still took four quick scalps in an evenly poised affair, after being sent into the field by the visitors.

Chris Wright starred with ball-in-hand, taking three of those wickets, as Worcestershire closed on 118-4 on day one.

After naming his first team of the season, Head Coach Paul Nixon was on hand to present overseas star Beuran Hendricks with his county cap before play began.

Worcestershire captain Brett D’Oliveira was the successful skipper at the toss, and elected to bat, although there was to be a substantial wait before the teams could get out into the middle.  

There was, however, the opportunity for both sides to unite for the ECB’s game-wide ‘Moment of Reflection’, which observed a period silence to reflect on events that had happened during the off-season.

After an early lunch and an early tea, further inspections allowed for play to finally get underway at 4:30pm.

Wright and the newly-capped Hendricks shared the new ball. It didn’t take long for the former to strike, sending Ed Pollock’s off-stump spiraling to claim the Running Foxes’ maiden wicket of the campaign.

Fewer than three overs later, the visitors lost their second. A calamitous call for a quick single saw Pakistan star Azhar Ali run out by Hendricks, after being sent scampering back following a slip by Jake Libby.

It was 32-3 soon after, as Wright struck again trapping Jack Haynes LBW for 7, just as a decent partnership for the visitors was starting to build.

That wicket brought yet another spurt of rain, forcing the players to leave the middle and the covers to be brought back on.

Wright claimed his third scalp quickly after the restart.  Libby, who has had a flourishing couple of seasons in the Pears’ ranks, became Wright’s third victim of the day, nicking behind for 27 to third slip, where George Rhodes was on hand to safely pouched the edge.

The 36-year-old was denied a fourth soon after, with visiting captain D’Oliveira surviving after Rhodes was unable to hold onto a sharp chance in the cordon.

Partner Ed Barnard then evaded two chances in Ed Barnes’ first over. The first, a menacing yorker, was adjudged to be not out, before an edge behind next ball was put down by the diving Hassan Azad at first slip.

The two accelerate the scoring rate in the final hour of play, with the Running Foxes left to rue the missed chances that had come before.

Worcestershire closed on 118-4, with D’Oliveira unbeaten on 34, and Barnard on 41. Day two’s play begins at 11am (weather permitting).