Worcestershire Seconds fought back strongly with the ball as Josh Tongue and Charlie Morris launched their comeback from injury in the Championship encounter with Derbyshire Seconds at Belper.
The home side reached 103-0 after electing to bat but were eventually bowled out for 290 with Dillon Pennington and Ben Twohig both claiming three wickets.
But equally encouraging was to see Tongue and Morris bowl 15 and 13 overs respectively after lay-offs with metatarsal and ankle injuries respectively.
It will add further to the County’s raft of bowlers if the pair prove their fitness ahead of the next Specsavers County Championship match with Yorkshire at Scarborough in just under two week’s time.
Worcestershire reached 40-1 by the close.
After the battle at times to find triallists to ensure the Seconds have had sufficient numbers of players this season, all six bowlers used today have played in the senior side this summer.
James Kettleborough and Harvey Hosein posed a century opening stand for Derbyshire after Steve Magoffin and Tongue had taken the new ball.
It was Pennington who eventually broke the stand when holding onto a return catch from Hosein (52) shortly before lunch.
Morris quickly disposed of Callum Brodrick (4) who was caught by skipper Ollie Westbury at extra cover.
Twohig accounted for Kettleborough (65) who was caught behind and Twohig trapped Daryn Smith (8) leg before.
The rest of the Derbyshire was built around Thomas Wood who made 82 before he nicked through to George Rhodes at first slip.
It was a fine one-handed diving catch by Rhodes that led to his downfall.
Worcestershire worked their way steadily through the remainder of the batting and Tongue enjoyed his success when Aidan Wheeler (26) was also pouched by Rhodes at first slip.
The visitors were left 11 overs batting and lost the wicket of the in-form Tom Fell (18) who was caught in the gulley off Wheeler.
Westbury will resume on 18 not out and Brett D’Oliveira four not out.
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DERBYSHIRE SECONDS – FIRST INNINGS
Kettleborough c Milton b Twoig 65
Hosein c and b Pennington 52
Brodrick c Westbury b Morris 4
Wood c Rhodes b Pennington 82
Smith lbw Twohig 8
Malik run out (D’Oliveira) 3
Hasan lbw Twohig 10
Qadri b D’Oliveira 16
Wheeler c Rhodes b Tongue 26
Brett b Pennington 4
Conners not out 6
Extras 14
Total (all out) 290 in 91 overs
FOW: 103, 114, 151, 163, 188, 217, 248, 262, 270, 290
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BOWLING
Magoffin 11-2-34-0
Tongue 15-2-68-1
Pennington 14-3-42-3
Morris 13-4-25-1
Twohig 28-5-83-3
D’Oliveira 10-4-26-1
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WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS – FIRST INNINGS
Westbury not out 18
Fell c Brodrick b Wheeler 18
D’Oliveira not out 4
Extras 0
Total (for 1 wicket) 40 in 11 overs
FOW: 26
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BOWLING
Conners 6-1-18-0
Wheeler 5-1-22-1
