Report: Warwickshire v Worcestershire friendly
Day Two – Close
Seven Warwickshire bowlers shared the wickets as Worcestershire made 253 for ten on the final day of their two-day friendly at Edgbaston.
After the Bears’ batsmen showed good form to amass 315 for five on the first day, it was the bowlers’ turn for some sustained time in the middle for the last time before the Bob Willis Trophy opener against Northamptonshire at Edgbaston, starting on Saturday.
Olly Hannon-Dalby was first to strike when he trapped Jake Libby lbw for a duck. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Fell then added 50 before the latter, on 17, edged Craig Miles to second slip where captain Will Rhodes took a smart low catch.
Jack Haynes joined Mitchell to add an unbroken 57 up to lunch at which point Mitchell retired out for 52 (107 balls, eight fours). Haynes advanced to an attractive 43 (49 balls, nine fours) before edging Olly Stone to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.
Sidebottom then struck twice in quick succession when Rikki Wessels (31, 31 balls) and, two balls later, Ben Cox edged to Burgess. Brett D’Oliveira’s tortuous 48-ball knock for 13 ended when he chipped Alex Thomson to mid-wicket and Burgess claimed his fourth catch when Ed Barnard edged Henry Brookes.
After tea, Sam Hain swooped to accept a first-slip catch off Stone to remove Ross Whiteley. Rhodes joined the list of wicket-takers when Joe Leach lifted to mid-off before Libby returned to the crease and batting solidly for 32 before edging Sidebottom behind.
Day One – Close
Spectators returned to Edgbaston and Warwickshire’s batsmen gave them something to enjoy as the Bears made 315 for five on the first day of their two-day friendly with Worcestershire.
With almost 1,000 Members watching from the stands as part of the programme to support the safe return of spectators to live sporting events, the Bears’ batsmen showed encouraging form five days ahead of the Bob Willis Trophy opener against Northamptonshire on Saturday.
On a good batting pitch, Worcestershire bowled well, and without luck at times, but the Bears’ top four all batted watchfully to get some much-needed crease-time after months without match practice.
Will Rhodes (41, 82 balls) and Rob Yates (38 retired out, 85 balls) continued the good form they showed against Nottinghamshire in the previous game before Ian Bell (52, 92) balls) and Sam Hain (49 not out, 107 balls) batted for much of the afternoon session.
Michael Burgess then attacked in the final session for 57 (88 balls, 11 fours).
Rhodes and Yates added 71 in 24 overs before the former edged Dillon Pennington to wicketkeeper Ben Cox. After Yates, having batted in assured fashion, retired out, Hain and Bell played diligently against some testing bowling led by Pennington, Jack Leach and Josh Tongue.
Bell reached his fifty from 86 balls just before tea while Hain was one short of his half-century at tea, at which point he retired out to enable some team-mates to have a bat.
Matt Lamb’s brisk 18 ended when he skied Brett D’Oliviera to extra cover. Tim Bresnan moved swiftly to 28 then chopped Ross Whiteley’s second ball to point, but Burgess connected with some clean blows on his way to a 58-ball half-century with ten fours before lifting Ed Barnard to mid-on.
The persevering Pennington induced Alex Thomson to play on just before stumps as the Bears batted all day in prior agreement with Worcestershire who will bat for all the second day.
*Warwickshire Members can now apply to attend the first two days of the opening match in the Bob Willis Trophy versus Northamptonshire on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 August. Please log-in to your online account to claim tickets.
