Rob Jones and Isaac Mohammed scored superb centuries in each innings for Worcestershire as the 2nd XI completed a comfortable 93-run victory over Leicestershire in the 2nd XI Championship.
Worcestershire resumed their 2nd XI County Championship campaign looking to continue their excellent recent form after their mammoth win over Essex last time out.
The home side found themselves in some early peril however, reduced to 32-2 after the loss of Isaac Mohammed (3) and Rehaan Edavalath (10) in the opening exchanges.
Rob Jones enjoyed a return to form as he and partner Henry Cullen set about building a partnership, adding 70 for the third wicket, with Cullen making a proficient 61 from 71 balls before chipping one back to the bowler.
Dan Lategan, fresh off signing a professional contract with the Pears just last week, was unable to get going as he would have liked, as he could only make 17.
Before Jones and new man Fin Goodman could continue, play was briefly suspended due to some ongoing issues with the outfield, meaning play couldn’t resume until 5pm, where Jones was able to raise his bat to celebrate a composed half-century coming off 71 balls.
Goodman (1) and Tom Hinley (30) both fell before the close, as play was brought to an end after just 46 overs, with Worcestershire in a solid position at 242-6, with Jones not-out on 79 and youngster Henry Hawes playing watchfully for his 26 unbeaten.
After a delayed start due to rain and further outfield issues, only three overs were completed before 2:40pm in a frustrating start to proceedings.
Hawes stuck with Jones in the opening exchanges of day two, as they added a further 41 to the overnight total, in which time Jones brought up an excellent century, coming in watchful fashion from 165 deliveries.
Their valuable partnership was ended when Jones was stumped for 109, with Hawes seeing his side past 300 when he was eventually removed for a well made 45.
Ben Gibbon added a quickfire 44 from the lower order, to see Worcestershire to an imposing 345 all-out.
In response, Leicestershire were unable to get a foothold in their innings, as Worcestershire’s bowlers took wickets at regular intervals to restrict their opponents to 197 all-out.
It was youngster Henry Hawes who made the first breakthrough for the Pears, on his way to excellent figures of 10-3-18-3.
JS Madan top-scored for his side with 76, but without any other scores of note, Leicestershire struggled in the face of a cohesive bowling effort from the hosts.
Yadvinder Singh (2-31) and Ben Gibbon (2-63) both continued their impressive recent run of form for the side, while Harry Darley and Ramon Bailey grabbed a wicket apiece in a dominant bowling display that saw their side take a 148-run lead into their second innings.
From that moment forward, it was the Isaac Mohammed show, as the 17-year-old blazed a sensational 133 from just 113 balls, that included 15-fours and five-sixes, as the teenage sensation dismantled the Leicestershire attack.
Henry Cullen (38) and Rob Jones (25*) chipped in as their side made 210-2 declared, setting Leicestershire a mammoth 359 to win.
Ben Gibbon made the early inroads once again for his side, picking up the scalp of both the openers as he pegged the visitors back to 38-2 early on, before Ramon Bailey impressed once again as he and Yadvinder Singh worked their way through the middle order with great effect.
In his ten over spell, Bailey returned excellent figures of 3-36, after Singh had earlier taken a crucial wicket to open up things for his seam partner, as Worcestershire took control of the game with their opponents 125-6.
Not for the first time this campaign, it was left to spinner to Tom Hinley to clean up the tail, as he ended any faint hopes the visitors held onto by taking three-wickets to end the contest and see his side to a handsome 93-run win as Leicestershire were bowled out for 265.
