Worcestershire 2nd XI 59 (36.5 overs) and 169 (71.1 overs)
Warwickshire 2nd XI 391 (127.4 overs)
Warwickshire 2nd XI won by an innings and 163 runs
Day 1
Worcestershire’s skipper, Chris Morris, won the toss and chose to put his side into bat on the opening morning of the four-day friendly match at Coventry and North Warwickshire Cricket Club, but must quickly have regretted his decision, as his side slumped to 40-6 after just 25 overs play.
The opening ten overs gave little indication of the carnage to shortly follow, as Worcestershire made careful progress, reaching 17 without loss against a strong Warwickshire bowling attack.
Henry Brookes made the breakthrough, when George Rhodes was caught by Grant Thornton for 10 and in the following over, Chris Wright found the edge of Westbury’s bat as the other Worcestershire opening batsman went for just three caught by ‘keeper Mellor.
Grant Thornton took two wickets in three balls when Hepburn and Whiteley departed without scoring, but some defensive fifth wicket resistance between Fell 13 and Twohig, took ten overs to breach, before Thornton bowled Fell.
Thornton collected a fourth wicket when Milton gave Mellor a second catch off his first ball, while Brookes accepted Shantry’s return catch and then trapped the obdurate Twohig lbw for 10 off 51 deliveries.
Keith Barker wrapped up the innings with two late wickets as Worcestershire collapsed to 59 all out from 36 overs and five balls.
For Warwickshire, Thornton 4-13 was the most successful bowler, with Brookes 3-24, Barker 2-4 and Wright 1-11 giving good support.
Warwickshire had 57 overs available to bat on the remainder of the day and openers, Andrew Umeed and Liam Banks took full advantage, racing past the Worcestershire total from earlier in the day and completing a century opening partnership, before Umeed 43, was bowled by Brown.
Banks had earlier completed a half-century and looked to be heading towards three figures until Scrimshaw bowled him half an hour before stumps, for 85.
Warwickshire reached the close without further incident when they were 182-2 with both batsmen Jonathan Trott and Matthew Lamb unbeaten on 20 and holding a strong position, with a lead of 123 runs.
Day 2
Worcestershire fought back strongly in the opening hour of the second day, when Shantry trapped Lamb lbw for 22 and almost immediately, Morris repeated the dismissal when Trott followed for 32.
Shantry whipped out Mellor and Barker without scoring but Alex Thomson, watching wickets tumble from the non-striker’s end, then received good support from both George Panayi 36 and Chris Wright 42, whilst going on to complete an unbeaten century, before the innings closed on 391 in the 28th over.
There were just over 90 minutes remaining in the day for Worcestershire to bat before stumps, but any hopes of an improvement second time-around were quickly dispelled when Wright, Brookes and Thornton whipped out the top four batsmen with only 35 runs on the board. Worcestershire closed the second day on 55-4, still trailing by 277 runs.
Day 3
Keith Barker virtually put the game beyond doubt during the first half hour of the third day, taking three wickets with the Worcestershire total having moved on by just three runs, while Chris Wright sent Whiteley back to the pavilion for 15 as Worcestershire lurched to 73-8.
A spirited ninth wicket partnership of 62 between Brown 34 and Morris, unbeaten on 44, helped add respectability to their second innings, before Thornton and Brookes polished off the final two wickets to leave Warwickshire with a decisive innings and 163 run victory, and a day and a half to spare.
Barker 3-15, Thornton 3-37, Brookes 2-21 and Wright 2-25 took the wickets.
