Worcestershire Academy (Under-18) opener Toby Cox scored a splendid 184 in his side’s 174 run victory over Gloucestershire in the ECB County Championship Group Two three-day encounter at Dumbleton CC.
Gloucestershire were set a 330 target in a minimum of 69 overs on the final day and were bowled out for 155 as Worcestershire secured their first victory in this year’s tournament after drawing the opening two games.
The Academy collected a total of 23 points from the game – four for batting, three for bowling and 16 for the win – and Gloucestershire eight.
Worcestershire won the toss at Cox, the younger brother of Olly Cox, dominated the opening day and finished unbeaten on 160 after batting for more than six and a half hours.
But he was given excellent support all the way down the order in a first day total of 360-6 from 104 overs.
Cox shared in partnerships of 69 with Dan Lategan (40), 76 with Nathan Jukes (33), 76 with Seth Essenhigh (41) and 85 with Yousuf Akbar who made 55 off 56 balls.
After tea, the Academy stepped up the scoring rate and scored 158 from 30 overs.
They batted on during the second morning and eventually totalled 403 all out from 111.1 overs with Cox’s knock ending only when he was run out after 426 minutes at the wicket.
He hit two sixes and 17 fours in his 338 ball knock
When Gloucestershire batted, Tom Odell dismissed the first three batters in the line-up and broke an opening stand of 142.
The visitors eventually declared on 313-8 – 87 in arrears – with Odell finishing with figures of 20.3-5-72-4. Ben Clarke, Cox, Ollie Smith and Lategan picked up one wicket apiece.
Worcestershire reached 87-2 by the end of day two with Lategan and Flynn Gunston (28), who was out to the final ball of the day, adding 71 for the second wicket.
Lategan went onto make 72 from 89 balls with one six and 12 fours on day three and then Fin
Goodman (60 from 63 balls) and Jukes added 77 for the fourth wicket.
Worcestershire raced along to 242-7 declared from 44 overs to set Gloucestershire a minimum of 69 overs to reach their target.
Cox and Smith shared the new ball and they picked up two wickets apiece in reducing Gloucestershire to 30-4.
Spinner and captain Ben Clarke and pace bowler Ben Clements then joined forces to reduce Gloucestershire to 64-9.
Some big hitting by the last pair of Rhys Baker and Archie Bailey added 91 before Josh Leach collected the final wicket shortly after tea.
Clarke ended with 12-6-26-3, Smith 6-1-23-2, Clements 7-0-21-2, Cox 7-0-37-2 and Leach 2.3-0-11-1
