MATCH REPORT: Worcestershire stand firm to deny Lancashire’s last day push for victory
Today's report brought to you by C&C Insurance
Lancashire made a great effort to force a win against Worcestershire with two wickets each for James Anderson and Tom Hartley plus one by Paul Coughlin having the visitors five wickets down and only 103 runs ahead by the midway point of the final day.
A resolute sixth wicket partnership between visiting skipper Brett D’Oliveira and Matthew Waite that used up 29.2 overs thwarted those ambitions with Worcestershire 211-5 by the time the players shook hands on the draw with 18 overs left.
Lancashire take 12 points from the game to have 75 points from 6 games and be in fourth place in the Division Two table, level with Derbyshire, and ten points behind second-placed Northamptonshire.
Anderson’s positive overnight declaration on 281-8 with a lead of 11 runs saw the hosts abandon any plans to bat on and attempt to score the 19 runs required for another batting point, in favour of aiming for a bigger prize.
Dan Lategan and Jake Libby survived a searching opening spell from Anderson and Tom Bailey when play began 30 minutes late due to rain, both playing and missing a number of times against the Red Rose opening pair, but also scoring quickly when they did put bat to ball with Lancashire setting attacking fields.
It was Anderson who made a double breakthrough after 45 minutes of play having Libby well caught low down to his right by wicketkeeper Matty Hurst for 21 and Gareth Roderick lbw second ball for 0 to have Worcestershire in early trouble on 47-2.
Lategan and Kashif Ali survived to reach lunch on 77-2 but the visitors were rocked by two wickets in three balls by Hartley twenty minutes into the afternoon session.
Kashif rather gifted his wicket, chipping a full toss off the bottom of his bat to Harry Singh at midwicket for 16, but two balls later Hartley produced a beautiful turning delivery that hit the top of Adam Hose’s off stump to leave the visitors on 90-4.
Skipper Anderson, who got through 15 overs taking 2-27 himself, rang the changes in the hunt for a further breakthrough and was rewarded when Paul Coughlin struck with his fourth delivery when opener Lategan edged behind to Hurst for 48.
That left Worcestershire on 114-5 with 47 overs left in the day and the possibility of a positive result still alive.
D’Oliveira and Waite batted solidly to ensure that did not happen, taking Worcestershire to 156-5 and, more or less, safe at tea with only 32 overs left.
Their partnership was worth 97 runs with D’Oliveira 46 not out and Waite unbeaten on 47 when the draw was agreed at 4.50pm.
“I thought it was a pretty solid week," said Head Coach Steven Croft.
"I’m sure that if we had four days we’d have had a positive result. I think we played the better cricket in the game.
“If we’d started at 11am we may have gone out and tried to get 40 or 50 more runs and a bonus point or two.
“With diminishing overs it was important to try and get the ten wickets as soon as possible.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be, but I thought the lads did really well, but we just ran out of time.
“The next two Championship games are at outgrounds, so hopefully we get good weather there should be some results to play for."
Croft had heaps of praise for his captain.
“There’s no stopping Jimmy," he said. "You can’t get his name off the teamsheet or the ball out of hand.
“He leads by example, with the ball and with his leadership qualities.
“He’s played all six games and at the start of this season we did a bit of planning and had a little laugh really at the thought of him playing all six.
“He’s done incredibly well, and shows no signs of slowing down.
“If we had a full roster of fast bowlers, there would have been a natural rotation, plus Mitch Perry was due to come. We’d have probably wanted to keep him a bit fresher but having said that, he’s showed no signs of fatigue at all in his skills set and quality.”
“It’s a privilege to have him around and I’m sure the lads feel that as well.”
Ken Grime
Photos: Luke Adams & Dan Adams
