Wednesday, March 30th, 2022

TWO WICKETS FOR D’OLIVEIRA BEFORE RAIN HAS FINAL SAY AT EDGBASTON

Worcestershire Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira followed up his half-century by claiming two wickets before bad light and rain ended their three-day friendly with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

D’Oliveira had struck an unbeaten 56 on day two to follow on from his 58 and match figures of 4-43 versus Oxford UCCE.

Today the leg spinner removed Danny Briggs and Harry Brookes before Warwickshire declared at lunch-time on 179-5 and set a 185 target.

But bad light and rain prevented a resumption before the game was abandoned at 2.30pm.

Warwickshire resumed on 90-2 after opener Rob Yates retired out overnight on 42.

Joe Leach struck the first blow of the day for Worcestershire when Chris Benjamin edged a fine ball that nipped away from him, and keeper Ben Cox took a sharp catch away to his right.

Briggs made 33 off 45 balls, but then D’Oliveira brought about his downfall when he went for a sweep shot and was lbw.

After looking to work the ball on the leg side, Brookes (1) also went leg before to D’Oliveira.

Craig Miles was unbeaten on 35 when the declaration came, but that proved to be the last of the action.

The Worcestershire bowling figures were: Leach 10-3-25-1, Ben Gibbon 10-1-35-1, Charlie Morris 7-1-28-0, Ed Barnard 10-1-37-0, Adam Finch 8-0-35-2 and D’Oliveira 7-1-18-2.

It was another good work-out for the Worcestershire players before the final warm-up match versus Durham UCCE at Kidderminster, a three-day game beginning on Saturday (April 2).