Worcestershire 2nd XI continued their impressive start to the 2nd XI County Championship with a convincing six-wicket win over Leicestershire this week.
A George Ealham fifer helped skittle the visitors for 158 midway through the first day, before half-centuries from Jack Home and Fateh Singh helped the Pears into a first innings lead of 82 runs.
Spinner Singh then returned figures of 5-135 in a marathon 32 over second innings spell as his side were set 286 to win at Halesowen.
Trialist Travis Norris led the reply with a competent 74, as he and Ealham (62) added 112 for the first wicket, before three middle order cameos of 40 eased the host’s home.
Winning the toss and electing to bowl, Worcestershire made immediate use of the green top surface and heavy cloud cover.
Taking wickets at regular intervals, the visitors were reduced to 43-4 after Ben Gibbon (1-4), Jack Home (3-37) and Ealham did some early damage.
Home returned to break a fifth wicket partnership worth fifty when Gibbon took a straightforward catch at first slip, before Ealham got stuck into the Foxes middle-order, on his way to superb figures of 12-2-40-5.
There was one more for Home and the in-form Sam Greer (1-10) as Leicestershire were bowled out for an under par 158.
The Pears made it to 52-3 in reply, losing Travis Norris, Rehaan Edavalath and Rob Jones cheaply, before a breezy 31 from number three Kashif Ali helped Worcestershire up towards 100.
That was not without further peril however, as Ben Gibbon and Alfie Higgins departed in quick succession, before a fifty-run stand between Home and Ealham (36) kept the Pears afloat.
Home batted on, scoring an excellent fifty in a punchy counter offensive, as he and Singh (56 from 41, including 11 boundaries) added 92 for the ninth wicket, before Worcestershire were eventually bowled out for 240.
Leading by 82-runs, Leicestershire hit back in style, with contributions all the way through their scorecard helping them into a healthy lead.
Ealham was involved early in the action when some smart fielding forced a run-out in the 14th over, but it was Fateh Singh who continued to peg the visitors back, striking three times in succession on a pitch aiding the off-spinner as Leicestershire stumbled to 114-4.
The 21-year-old, now fully recovered from an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for several weeks earlier this season, struck with two more Leicestershire scalps, completing his five-wicket haul with the visiting side 188-6.
A frustrating tail-end riposte defied the Pears a swift finish they were hoping for, with a 48-run stand for the eighth wicket keeping the hosts in the field for longer than they would have liked.
That was ended by Ealham in the 69th over, before another 95-run partnership for the Foxes ninth wicket steered them past 300, as seamer George O’Connor (3-48) wrapped up proceedings.
Posting 368, Worcestershire required 286 to win, a chase that the hosts accomplished with relative ease in the end.
It was Norris who set his stall out early, occupying the crease for over three and a half hours in a magnificent effort that saw the South-African face 165 deliveries for his 74, before he was bowled.
Opening partner Ealham showed his skills with the bat, making a fine half-century of his own, easing to 62 with nine boundaries, with the pair eventually dismissed having guided their side to 178-2.
Skipper Rehaan Edavalath made a valuable contribution of 44, whilst Kashif returned to form with a 52-ball-47, in which the right-hander finished unbeaten.
Despite losing Edavalath and Rob Jones (12), another impressive cameo from Alfie Higgins (40*) was enough to ease the Pears over the line by six wickets.
