Worcestershire keeper-batter Gareth Roderick continued where he left off last summer by hitting a half-century on the opening day of the two-day friendly with Northamptonshire at the County Ground, Northampton.
Roderick experienced a fine second half to last season and topped Worcestershire’s batting averages for the 2022 campaign.
He then went on to enjoy a successful winter with Green Point CC in Cape Town.
Today he struck 59 off 119 balls with nine fours and looked in good touch before edging to Hassan Azad at second slip.
Jake Libby, Ed Pollock and Matthew Waite also made useful runs in Worcestershire’s first pre-season action after the wet conditions led to games with Gloucestershire and Oxford UCCE being cancelled.
Worcestershire were scheduled to bat all day irrespective of how many wickets were lost, and they reached 185-8 from 59.2 overs before rain ended play for the day shortly after tea.
Their bowlers will now have a chance to hone their skills on day two with Northamptonshire due to bat all day.
Batting was a challenge, and Worcestershire were 33-5 at one stage, with Adam Hose making 10 off 41 balls in his first innings for his new county.
But Roderick and Libby, in his second knock of the day, added 85 for the sixth wicket.
Roderick brought up his half-century from 87 deliveries with a boundary off George Gowler.
The stand was broken when Libby (33 off 65 balls with four fours) was bowled by Gus Miller, and then Roderick’s fine knock was ended by Jack White.
Pollock, in his second innings of the day, struck the only six of the day over mid-wicket off Rob Keogh.
He had moved onto an unbeaten 31 when rain halted proceedings and was given good support by Waite, 26 not out, in an unbroken stand of 57.
