Worcestershire Seconds again showed late resilience with the bat and gained two Gloucestershire Seconds wickets on a weather hit third day of the four-day friendly at Cheltenham College.
Only 25.3 overs were possible during which time Worcestershire Seconds advanced from 261-9 to 307 all out in their first innings and Gloucestershire Seconds reached 74-2 in their second innings – an overall lead of 138.
The two teams will now hope to try and conjure up a positive conclusion to the game on the final day tomorrow.
A wet outfield meant lunch was taken early before play got underway at 1.10pm.
Worcestershire triallist Tristan Blackledge had batted 22.4 overs for the last wicket with Zain Ul-Hassan to earn a draw in last week’s Championship match at Barnt Green.
Blackledge again showed his resolution during a final partnership of 48 in 11 overs with another triallist in Grant Thornton.
He batted 62 deliveries for 18 not out while Thornton struck four fours in his 27 off 40 deliveries before he was last out.
When Gloucestershire batted again, only one over was possible before the players went off for bad light.
They eventually returned at 4.45pm with a possible 31 overs remaining and Academy player Riecko Parker-Cole and Thornton picked up a wicket apiece.
But the weather closed in again and only 16 overs were possible before play was called off for the day.
—
WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS – FIRST INNINGS CONTINUED
(overnight 261-9)
Blackledge not out 18
Thornton c Drissell b Gregory 27
Extras 28
Total (all out) 307 in 88.3 overs
FOW CONTINUED: 307
TODAY’S BOWLING
Gregory 14.3-3-65-3
Neill 14-2-38-2
—
GLOUCESTERSHIRE SECONDS – SECOND INNINGS
Willows not out 40
Hammond c Haynes b Parker-Cole 17
Van Buuren c Dell b Thornton 4
Extras 7
Total (for 2 wickets) 74 in 16 overs
FOW: 51, 60
BOWLING
Thornton 8-1-30-1
Parker-Cole 6-1-26-1
Ul-Hassan 2-0-13-0
