Worcestershire’s return to red-ball action in the Rothesay County Championship was hindered by both the weather and Nottinghamshire’s bowlers, with the home side bowled out for 182 on a rain affected opening day at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
A damaging morning session saw the home side reduced to 53-6, including a middle order collapse that saw three wickets fall inside five balls, inflicted primarily by returning Pears Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington (4-75), who showcased their class throughout.
Gareth Roderick and Tom Taylor (40) added 81 for the eighth wicket in a vital repost, with the keeper batter going on to make 61 as he took Worcestershire up to 182.
Tom Taylor broke the defences of Haseeb Hameed with the second ball of the reply to give the home side a foothold into the contest, but the visitors made it through to the close at 46-1.
On his first competitive appearance of the season, recently re-signed youngster Rehaan Edavalath’s stay at the crease was as challenging as they could possibly come, as he and opener Jake Libby squared off with Mohammed Abbas, Dillon Pennington and Josh Tongue in a potent Outlaws attack.
Edavalath was unable to make an impression however, as he nicked behind without scoring early on, before Kashif Ali joined Libby as the pair looked to rebuild in some challenging conditions at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
The partnership was worth 22, when Kashif was trapped in front for 15 by Pennington, with the warning signs clear for all to see as first-class debutant Dan Lategan, strode to the middle.
The 556th man to be awarded his colours for the club, the 19-year-old received a warm reception upon his arrival, but the atmosphere drastically changed around Visit Worcestershire New Road in the ensuing five deliveries.
The home side lost three wickets without scoring, as former bowlers Pennington and Tongue ripped through the Pears’ middle order.
Libby was the first to go as he feathered behind a pinpoint delivery from the England quick for 18, while number-five Brett D’Oliveira saw his defences beaten after just one ball with his off-stump ripped out of the ground to leave the home side in peril.
Three balls later and the trouble worsened for the Pears when Lategan was wrapped on the pad by the impressive Pennington to leave the hosts 37-5.
22 more runs were added between Ethan Brookes and Matthew Waite, before Brookes was punished for a moment of hesitation between the wickets as he was narrowly run-out by Notts skipper Haseeb Hameed, after a brilliant diving stop and throw from mid-off saw Brookes short of the crease having made 10.
Gareth Roderick, shifted down the order to number six, played positively in partnership with Matthew Waite (18) and saw his side past three-figures early in the afternoon session with the Pears seven wickets down.
Tom Taylor, the leading wicket taker in Division One coming into this match, showed his more than useful batting capabilities at number nine, as he joined Roderick to enjoy Worcestershire’s best period of the day with the bat.
Roderick continued to counter-attack wherever possible, while Taylor played with controlled aggression, adding 81 vital runs for the eighth wicket and take the hosts beyond 150 as the Worcestershire fight to stay in the game continued.
Taylor departed for a valiant 47-ball-40 when he miscued a pull shot straight to Abbas off a Tongue short-ball, before play was halted in the 47th over, midway through the afternoon with rain in the air and lightning above the ground.
Tremendous work from the ground staff allowed play to resume shortly after 5pm, with Roderick losing Allison (5) shortly before registering his fourth County Championship fifty of the season, but was eventually LBW for a crucial 61 from 111 balls, as Worcestershire were bowled out for 182.
Tom Taylor wasted no time notching his 44th County Championship wicket of the season when he bowled the division’s leading run-scorer, Haseeb Hameed, with just the second ball of the innings.
With the light fading and time in the day running out, Worcestershire were unable to make any further dents into the visitors batting card, as Matthew Waite couldn’t quite hold onto a tough caught and bowled opportunity late on and Notts made it through to the close 46-1.
