Tuesday, August 30th, 2022

EDAVALATH AND BEN COX HIT CENTURIES FOR SECONDS ON OPENING DAY AGAINST GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Rehaan Edavalath and Ben Cox scored centuries for Worcestershire Seconds on the opening day of the Second Eleven Championship match with Gloucestershire at Rockhampton.

Edavalath followed up his 233 not out for Worcestershire Academy against Somerset at Taunton Vale last week by hitting an undefeated 125.

Cox, in his first red-ball cricket since the LV=Insurance County Championship match against Leicestershire at New Road in mid-May, made an aggressive 129.

The third wicket pair put on 217 in 47 overs and helped Worcestershire to reach 328-4 off 96 overs by the close.

Worcestershire Captain, Taylor Cornall, opted to bat, and he and Ed Pollock added 40 for the first wicket in 15 overs.

Pollock struck four boundaries off Archie Bailey but on 21 pushed forward to Paul van Meekeren and was caught behind.

The same combination accounted for Cornall, who made 39 off 105 balls before he was undone by a delivery which nipped away.

Cox joined Edavalath at 95-2 in the 37th over, and quickly increased the scoring rate, with the pair scoring at around four and a half runs an over.

Edavalath completed a 109 ball fifty, and Cox brought up his half century from 55 deliveries.

The duo continued to dominate, and Edavalath clipped Ryan Kilminster off his legs for his 14th boundary to complete his century from 189 balls.

Cox swept Edward Middleton for his 15th boundary as he went to three figures from 117 deliveries.

The wicket-keeper batter eventually fell when he cut a delivery from van Meekeren to backward point.

Olly Cox made only a single before he mistimed a pull and the ball ballooned up to mid on, but Edavalath remained unbeaten at stumps.

After batting nearly eight hours for the Academy against Somerset, he has so far been at the crease for 335 minutes and faced 244 balls.