Sunday, June 25th, 2017

Clarke Included In Worcs Side For Opening Two Days At Durham

Joe Clarke will play the opening two days of Worcestershire’s day-night clash with Durham at the Emirates in the Specsavers County Championship before reverting to England Lions duty.

Clarke is part of the unchanged side which will start the game following the superb second innings run chase against Kent at New Road.

The 21-year-old found his form with two centuries and as a result has been recalled by the Lions for the three-day meeting with South Africa at New Road starting on Thursday.

Tom Fell will replace Clarke for the third and fourth days of the match.

The game will get underway at 2pm each day and feature a pink duke ball as a dress rehearsal for the Test match under lights between England and West Indies at Edgbaston in mid August.

It means Moeen Ali will do battle against England team-mates Ben Stokes and Mark Wood.

Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes said: “We will do a little bit up there. We know there are times when it can be quite difficult when the lights are on so we will cater for that.

“It will be just as difficult for the Durham guys. All of us are thrown into this game without much knowledge or experience of playing with a pink ball.

“They’ve got a decent attack. I’m presuming Stokes and Wood will play and if they do that’s another great challenge for our lads to play against a team that has got a proper attack against us.

“It will be a really good challenge and another good test of where we are at because it won’t be easy.”

Opener Daryl Mitchell says Worcestershire’s successful run chase against Kent means they will go to the Emirates full of confidence.

He said: “Confidence takes a little bit of a knock when you lose a couple of games and a couple of heavy defeats if we are honest.

“It was nice to bounce back and get back to winning ways and a performance like that on the last day will give us a lot of confidence going up to Durham which will be again a massive test against a very good side with their Engand boys available.”

WORCESTERSHIRE

D’Oliveira

Moeen Ali

Clarke (Fell on days three and four)

Rhodes

Cox (w)

Whiteley

Barnard

Leach (c)

Hastings

Tongue