Lancashire Vs. Worcestershire Day 1.

Debutant White Shines in Championship Opener.

Lancashire’s season got off to a steady start, as their opponents, Worcestershire reached 227-6 at close of play. The stand-out performance came from winter signing, Wayne White, who ended with figures of 2-49 but the efforts of Moeen Ali prevented Lancashire from dominating the first days play.

After winning the toss at 10:30 this morning, the Lancashire skipper elected to field first, with the early season seam movement encouraging this decision. All of today’s tosses ended in the same way, which showed how fearful the counties were of batting on the first day of the season.

For a long spell this fear appeared to be unjustified, as Worcestershire opening batsmen, Matt Pardoe and Michael Johnson faced out the threat of Glen Chapple and Kyle Hogg. In the end it was the first change in bowling that brought the breakthrough, from none other than debutant all-rounder, Wayne White. After a frustrating period of 15 overs, White was introduced into the attack and with his first ball he dismissed Pardoe (13), who top edged the ball to Chapple at mid-off. Soon after that Luke Procter trapped Johnson LBW for 18, as Worcestershire stumbled to 36-2. Despite this early blip, Worcester now had two very dangerous batsmen at the crease in Moeen Ali and Thilan Samaraweera and the pair added a further 36 runs to the total before the lunchtime interval.

After the break, the home side were therefore keen to make a quick breakthrough and after a tough battle with Samaraweera (28), Simon Kerrigan forced an edge through to Gareth Cross, with the score now 93-3.

Ali persisted to frustrate the Lancashire bowling attack as he passed 50 off 97, with 7 fours and 1 six and, assisted by Alexi Kervezee (6), Worcestershire passed 100 in style, as Ali smashed a six off Kerrigan. But the latter was unable to provide any long-term support for Worcestershire’s standout performer, edging to Croft at second-slip, as White picked-up his second wicket.

Neil Pinner and Ali continued to add to the Worcestershire total, but the run rate slowed down severely as the light began to fade after tea. As the final session commenced, the visitors were looking the stronger of the two sides, due to the presence of Moeen Ali. He continued his onslaught on the Lancashire attack, but was undone when he tried to smash Kerrigan for a second six, as he was caught well by Ashwell Prince for 78, with the score now 177-5.

With Ali gone, the dominance had now swayed back in the favor of the home side, but Worcestershire were determined to dig in and produce a score of substance and Worcestershire skipper, Daryl Mitchell, who was due to open the batting until a late illness delayed his role in this match, joined pinner at the crease. The pair managed to irritate Lancashire for a long spell in the evening session, but Pinner was out with two overs left in the day, edging behind off Procter for 29.

Due to the late breakthrough, Lancashire ended the day in a slightly stronger position, claiming two bowling bonus points, but after putting Worcestershire into bat, they would have hoped for more than 6 wickets. Procter, White and Kerrigan all finished with two wickets, with Wayne White’s debut standing out in a long and difficult first day of the county season. Ending on 227-6, Mitchell (36*) and Gareth Andrew (2*) will face a tough morning session, as they attempt to add to Worcestershire’s slow start to the season, but the weather may not be so kind on day two.