Worcestershire Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira masterminded a superb recovery with the bat on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship match with Essex at Chelmsford.
D’Oliveira came to the wicket with Worcestershire in trouble at 10-4 in the face of some excellent bowling from Jamie Porter.
He continued the form demonstrated when making a fine momentum-changing 97 in Worcestershire’s home Championship win over Kent.
D’Oliveira made a crucial 68 and the total had been lifted to 192 when he was eighth out.
But he would be the first to acknowledge the superb support he received from Ethan Brookes and Tom Taylor during partnerships of 72 and 59 respectively.
Taylor went onto achieve his maiden Championship half century for Worcestershire and he was aided in a last wicket stand of 64 by on loan signing Amar Virdi.
After his fine display with the ball against Kent, when he deserved more than five wickets in the game, this was another example of Taylor’s all-round quality, this time with the bat.
But it also was another demonstration of the fighting spirit and togetherness evident in this Worcestershire team in the face of adversity after a challenging opening half hour.
There was a loud cheer and applause from the Worcestershire fans present when a precious batting bonus point was secured in recognition of a fine comeback to 266 all out in 75 overs.
Taylor then struck with the ball in the final over of the day when he trapped Dean Elgar (29) lbw as they closed on 50-1 from 18.3 overs.
Worcestershire made two changes from the side which had defeated Kent so impressively by eight wickets at Visit Worcestershire New Road to move into sixth position in the table.
New Zealand all-rounder Logan van Beek, who has rejoined the club for a second spell, and on loan Surrey spinner Virdi came into the side for James Hartshorn and Adam Finch (knee).
D’Oliveira won the toss and opted to bat first on a used wicket which was green in the middle and bare and both ends.
The Kookaburra ball was back in use and will also be in operation for Worcestershire’s home game with Warwickshire beginning on September 9.
Libby collected the first boundary of the innings when he clipped Sam Cook off his legs to square leg but on seven he then left a delivery from Porter which nipped back and was bowled.
Kashif Ali, Worcestershire’s leading wicket-taker in the Championship this summer, was immediately off the mark when he clipped Porter through mid-wicket for two.
Keeper-batter Gareth Roderick (0), on his 33rd birthday, was lbw in the next over from Sam Cook.
Rob Jones (1) was turned around by a full and probing delivery from Porter and was caught behind by keeper Michael Pepper
In the same over Adam Hose (0) pushed forward to a delivery which nipped away and edged through to Pepper.
The Essex new ball attack produced some high class bowling but Kashif looked in good form and raced to the 20 mark off just 13 balls.
He off drove Cook for four and on drove Porter to the ropes.
Kashif moved onto a run a ball 24 but then, after Porter switched ends, he tried to cut a delivery and bottom edged it onto his stumps.
Brookes, who scored his maiden Championship fifty versus Kent, was quickly into double figures with the aid of a square drive and edge against Porter which both brought boundaries.
He then greeted the introduction of Simon Harmer into the attack with a reverse sweep for four and then reverse lapped the spinner square of the wicket with the same result, shots which have become Brookes trademark
D’Oliveira produced one of the strokes of the morning when he drove Porter back down the ground to the ropes and, despite losing those early wickets, there was a positive approach about the Worcestershire batting.
They reached lunch on 100-5 and the sixth wicket stand was worth 72 when Brookes (46) pushed forward and was caught behind to give Porter his fifth wicket.
Van Beek (6) went for a drive and offered a return catch to Harmer but then Taylor joined D’Oliveira in another important partnership.
D’Oliveira, who completed his half century off 107 balls, took a step down the wicket to loft Matt Critchley for a straight six.
His fine knock eventually added after adding 59 with the impressive Taylor as he was trapped lbw for 68
Taylor cover drove and swept Harmer for boundaries and he completed his maiden Championship half century for Worcestershire off 71 balls.
After Joe Leach (5) went lbw to Harmer, Taylor was joined by last man Virdi for another excellent partnership after they came together at 202-9.
Virdi twice came down the wicket to Harmer to hit him for straight maximums.
The stand was worth 64 when Virdi (42) was pouched at square leg off Shane Snater to leave Taylor unbeaten on 62 from 94 balls with seven fours.
Porter ended with the excellent figures of 5-52 from 17 overs.
Leach and Taylor shared the new ball and the latter went past the outside edge of Dean Elgar with a superb delivery in his second over.
There was a morale victory for the same bowler when Elgar edged him just short of Jones at second slip.
Elgar and Robin Das looked as if they were going to take Essex to the close without any breakthroughs.
But Taylor returned and in the final over Elgar went lbw to a delivery angled back in.
