Ed Pollock smashed a 67-ball century as Worcestershire raced to a seven-wicket win over Middlesex with more than a day to spare in the LV=Insurance County Championship match at Merchant Taylor’s School.
The opener produced an incredible display of clean hitting with seven sixes and nine fours contained in his second century of the season.
It enabled Worcestershire to make light work of what appeared to be a challenging 238 target in just 46.4 overs on a difficult pitch.
The Middlesex attack could not contain the left-hander with most of his maximums in the arc between mid-wicket and deep backward square.
A cover drive for three off Middlesex captain, Tim Murtagh, took Pollock to three figures and was greeted with rapturous applause by his teammates.
He received excellent support from Jake Libby and Taylor Cornall during partnerships of 85 and 82, respectively.
Cornall ended unbeaten on 31 from 98 balls, and Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira, with a quickfire 33 not out from 25 balls, sealed victory with an unbroken stand of 48.
Worcestershire collected 19 points from their third Championship victory of the season to keep them right in the hunt for a top two spot before a ten-day break from the action.
Pollock’s previous century had also been a memorable knock of 112 in the opening Championship match of the season against Leicestershire.
But this was an extra memorable innings against an international attack that will live long in the memory of those fortunate enough to witness it.
Pollock had advanced onto 113 from 77 balls out of 167-2 when he went for another big hit against Umesh Yadav and was caught at deep mid-wicket.
Middlesex had resumed this morning on 180-6, and Worcestershire pace bowler, Charlie Morris, struck in each of his opening two overs.
He knocked back the off stump of Toby Roland-Jones (10), and then Tom Helm (0) chipped a knee-high catch to Josh Baker at mid-on.
Umesh Yadav opted for an aggressive approach in making an unbeaten 44.
Baker came into the attack and accounted for Luke Hollman (46), who went for a reverse sweep and fell to an excellent diving catch by Cornall backward of square.
The second new ball was taken at 239-9, and Joe Leach needed only three deliveries to wrap up the innings with Tim Murtagh (2) caught behind.
Pennington finished with 19-3-54-3, Baker 16-1-62-3, Leach 15.3-5-33-2 and Baker 16-1-62-3.
When Worcestershire launched their reply, Pollock showed his aggressive intent from ball one when he turned Murtagh for four through mid-wicket.
The first of his sixes came when he swivelled around to loft Roland-Jones over deep square leg.
Libby was also full of purpose and hit Roland-Jones for successive boundaries as the scoreboard raced along at a run-a-ball.
None of the Middlesex bowlers could halt the barrage of boundaries from Pollock, and he reached his 50 off 40 balls.
The opening stand was broken when Libby (31) edged Helm to second slip, but then Pollock went into overdrive.
He needed just 27 more balls to go from fifty to three figures before finally being dismissed, with only 71 more runs needed for victory.
Jack Haynes (18) played some attractive strokes before he was caught at deep mid-wicket off Roland-Jones.
But D’Oliveira hurried Worcestershire to win with a succession of boundaries off Sam Robson.
