Worcs Vs. Lancs Day Four Report

Lancashire’s eighth draw of the season furthers relegation fears.

The current LV County Championship

Title holders Lancashire are now strong

Relegation candidates after their eighth

draw in thirteen games and still only

one win. Fellow relegation favourites

Worcestershire are also experiencing a

tough season but have a game in hand

over visitors, Lancashire, who are

likely to be bottom after both sides have

played the same number of games.

When Lancashire resumed on 10-0, they had the intention of earning some batting bonus points, but in a season of disappointing form with the bat, Lancashire were only able to score 219 and achieve one batting point. Openers, Paul Horton (15) and Luke Procter (16), were not able to give Lancashire the start that they desired adding just 21 runs to their overnight score before Horton edged to Worcester captain Daryl Mitchell off Gareth Andrew. Procter shortly followed when Alan Richardson bowled the youngster, as Lancashire reached a humble 35-2.

Karl Brown was next to fall when he was trapped LBW to Andrew for 12, as Worcestershire achieved a bowling bonus point. The recent form of Ashwell Prince has been the primary strength of Lancashire’s four-day team, but even he failed to make a big score, edging to Mitchell off Andrew for 9. Lancashire reached 84-4 at lunch and were looking nervous in search of batting points.

Light rain fell in the lunch interval but play started on time, with Steven Croft (28) and Andrea Agathangelou (7) hoping to advance at least towards 200. But Lancashire were only able to add five runs to their lunchtime score as Agathangelou was caught behind by Ben Scott to give Richardson his second wicket. Croft departed shortly after also caught behind as Andrew claimed his fourth wicket, with the visitors resigned to 93-6.

A seventh-wicket partnership worth 58 runs between Gareth Cross (39) and Kyle Hogg (14) was able to redeem Lancashire’s chances of achieving a batting bonus point, but Lancashire’s batting was once again coming into question. Moeen Ali proved destructive with the ball at Old Trafford and he struck his first blow at New Road when Hogg edged to Mitchell at second slip, as the visitors reached 151-7. Cross immediately followed as Joe Leach bowled the Lancashire keeper, with the target of 200 looking bleak at best.

But the efforts of Lancashire captain, Glen Chapple (27) and Ajmal Shahzad (28*) helped the visitors reach their first and only batting point. Chapple smashed Moeen Ali for a towering six over long-on, but as he tried to replicate this once more he was stumped by Scott with Lancashire on 187-9, still thirteen short of their target. Shahzad was joined by Simon Kerrigan and the ex-Yorkshire all-rounder led the visitors over their target of 200 as Lancashire had a rare period of elation in an otherwise dismal day. Kerrigan was soon stumped for 8 to give Mooen Ali his third wicket, as the umpires called tea on the final day, with the visitors all-out for 216.

The unlikely combination of Kyle Hogg and Steven Croft opened Lancashire’s bowling attack in the final session and were joined by Karl Brown and Simon Kerrigan in a futile attempt to make something happen in this rain-interrupted fixture. It wasn’t long before the players shook hands, with the score at 33-0 and both Worcestershire openers unbeaten, Daryl Mitchell scoring 16 and Matthew Pardoe reached 4 when the players walked off the field of play.

Both sides will be once again frustrated by yet another rain interrupted draw, particular Lancashire who are experiencing a difficult season in contrast to their title success of last season. Worcestershire have the small consolation of gaining more points from this match (Worcestershire 8pts, Lancashire 6pts) and despite being bottom have a game in hand over their relegation companions Lancashire. To add insult to injury both Surrey and Durham ended this round of matches with a victory, to further increase the challenge both sides face of avoiding relegation. The frustration was summed up perfectly today when the church bells rang continuously for four hours and for both of the sides the bells certainly toll.