Head Coach Alan Richardson gave his reaction after Worcestershire clinched a third LV=Insurance County Championship win of the season by defeating Leicestershire by 100 runs at Oakham School.
Richardson praised the way the batters managed to put together two challenging totals on a seamer-friendly wicket with Jake Libby’s second innings 69 the stand-out knock in the match.
He was also happy with the performance of the entire bowling unit and the intensity shown in the field where some fine catches were taken.
Worcestershire are now in the thick of the battle for promotion ahead of next week’s encounter with Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College.
Richardson said: “It was a game that moved forward quickly but I thought we stuck to our task really well on a wicket that probably favoured the bowlers if you look at the scores.
“I thought with the bat we were very good and, considering the conditions, were able to get two good scores.
“The boys should take great heart from that and, as a bowling unit, we stuck together very well and the intensity in the field was really high.
“In terms of a performance, it gave us that chance to get a win which thankfully we got.
“I thin the batting won the game in terms of being the difference. We talked about it in the first innings, the partnership at the top and at the bottom of the order.
“Gareth (Roderick) and Jake (Libby) put on 48 for the first wicket and Dillon (Pennington) and Adam (Finch) put on 33 for the last wicket, pretty much half of our runs in the first innings.
“With Jake’s contribution in the second innings, it was pretty impressive for anyone to get fifty so for him to have that impact on the game was fantastic and, again, Dillon and Josh (Tongue) added a vital 20 odd at the end.
“Every run was very crucial. Both sides identified that early on. Running between the wickets was important and any sort of contribution, like Azhar (Ali) facing 100 balls in the first innings which was massive as well.
“The came up with different game plans about how we were going to play the game and they should take great heart from that.
“It was probably not a wicket you would come away from as a batter, getting lots of confidence, but I hope they will as they applied themselves and managed to get us a result out of a wicket that was going to be testing for them.
“Our catching, it is something we are working incredibly hard on. It is something on which games can be won or lost.
“As the season goes on, we hope our catch ratio goes up but fair play to the guys. I wouldn’t want to field in the slips so they are putting their hands up and getting in there and putting their bodies on the line trying to get wickets for us.”
Gareth Roderick picked up seven catches during the game, including five in the second innings.
Richardson said: “He has done well. Gareth has come in and the impact he had at the end of last season and this season has been fantastic.
“He’s a good character to have around. He is resilient when he bats and there is no fuss behind the stumps.
“I thought he did brilliantly. He keeps the energy going, nice and high, has got a real good cricket brain.
“At the moment it feels like he is making huge contributions for us”
Worcestershire wrapped up the final three wickets in five overs this morning.
Richardson said: “Josh has shown he can get good batters out but is also pretty uncomfortable for guys down the bottom of the order and he showed that today.
“It was nice for him to him back but as a bowling unit we did well throughout.
“Adam Finch’s impact on day one with bat and ball was crucial and it is not easy if you know you are only going to play one day.
“But he took it in his stride brilliantly well, showed some amazing character and real good skills.
