Lancashire Vs. Worcestershire LV County Championship Day Two.

Moeen Ali records career best figures to send Lancashire into despair.

Lancashire ended day two of this LV County Championship match with little hope of escaping defeat, after Worcestershire spinners Moeen Ali (6-67) and Shaaiq Choudry (4-38) reduced Lancashire to 162 all out after an impressive opening stand of 61. Moeen achieved his career best bowling figures as Lancashire lost 9 wickets for the addition of just 58 runs.

The day started at 11:30 with Lancashire in the ascendancy, with openers Paul Horton (34) and Stephen Moore (26) carrying on from their unbeaten stand last night as they built a partnership worth 61. During this time, a section of the pitch near the bowlers run-up needed to be replaced as it was deemed unfit for play. Moore seemingly gifted his wicket away when he chipped the ball to Choudry at mid-on as Moeen took the first of 6 wickets. Horton shortly followed his partner as he was trapped LBW to Choudry just before lunch, by which time Lancashire had reached 67-2.

Overseas player Ashwell Prince failed to make any kind of impact as he was caught behind by Ben Scott off Moeen just after lunch for 1. Wickets either side of lunch had reduced the impact Lancashire’s opening stand to average at best and the afternoon session continued to get progressively worse for the home side. Moeen picked up the wicket of Karl Brown, who was stumped for 9 as Lancashire stumbled to 86-4.

After Steven Croft experienced a brilliant day of bowling, fielding and international recognition yesterday but was unable to succeed with the bat as he was bowled by Choudry for 16. The next four wickets were all claimed by Moeen inside the hour as Lancashire went from 95-5 to 119-9. The first came when Tom Smith top-edged an attempted sweep to Richard Jones for just 3. Moeen then claimed Gareth Cross (16), Ajmal Shahzad (0) and Glen Chapple (5) who were all caught at short leg by Matthew Pardoe. About the only good thing that happened in the afternoon session for Lancashire was the 10^th wicket partnership between Kyle Hogg (21) and Simon Kerrigan (20) which was worth 43 to reduce the humiliation suffered by the home team, as Worcestershire had a first innings lead of 129 runs.

Daryl Mitchell (8*) and Phil Hughes (1*) commenced the second innings with this emphatic lead and when rain settled in they were 9-0 to advance to a lead of 138. Previous to this match Worcestershire were without a championship victory, but they are certainly expected to finish this July fixture with a win as they take an impressive lead into the third day at Old Trafford.