Bowling Coach Alan Richardson praised a “magnificent effort” by the Worcestershire attack to keep alive their victory hopes on day three of the rain hit LV=Insurance County Championship match with Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens.
The four pace bowlers picked up six wickets between them for 130 runs in the 49.2 overs possible to reduce Glamorgan to 241-8 and still needing 64 more to avoid the possibility of being asked to follow on.
Dillon Pennington was particularly impressive today with three wickets but the whole unit played their part in applying and keeping pressure on the home batters.
Richardson, who is also Assistant Coach, said: “A magnificent effort by the boys, a real collective effort, a ream team effort, and very impressive.
“Yesterday, those 25 overs were not the finest we have bowled this season. The boys regrouped a little bit and we spoke this morning about the importance of bowling in partnerships and backing up spells, passing the baton on, and they did that really well.
“If you break it down, we took six wickets for 130 runs in just under 50 overs.”
Richardson felt Dillon Pennington’s dismissal of the in form Sam Northeast was a crucial moment in the day’s play.
He said: “The wicket has in general been quite good for batters. They can build an innings, as Gareth Roderick and Joe Leach showed for us, and you can bat for long periods of time.
“As a bowling group, you have to try and put as many balls as you can in the right areas, to try and create pressure that way.
“As soon as Dillon got that breakthrough with a really good ball to dismiss Sam Northeast, it just changed the game and the momentum. The boys turned it around really well today.”
Worcestershire will need to pick up 12 wickets on the final day if they are to complete a fourth Championship win of the season.
Richardson said: “It would be nice to get a full day tomorrow and see what happens. Will it be difficult to take 12 wickets in a day? I think so but we have to believe that if we create enough pressure, and get Glamorgan far enough behind the game, then you never know.
“I think we have to have that confidence and belief that, if we bowl well again, we can at least give ourselves a chance.”
