Worcestershire CCC warmed up for the Royal London One-Day Cup with an emphatic seven-wicket win over Herefordshire CCC in a 50 over game at New Road.
Young spinner Josh Baker again impressed with three wickets as Herefordshire were dismissed for 191 in 46.2 overs.
Tom Fell and Josh Dell then hit fifties during a third-wicket stand of 125 in 17.5 overs as Worcestershire triumphed with more than 21 overs to spare.
Fell went onto make an unbeaten 96 from 92 balls, and it was an impressive workout ahead of Sunday’s One-Day Cup opener against Kent at New Road.
Herefordshire opted to bat, and Worcestershire CCC Club Captain Joe Leach made the first breakthrough when Ben Chapman-Lilley (7) was leg before.
Fellow opener Alex Hinkley (27) chopped a Charlie Morris delivery onto his stumps.
Baker came into the attack and was soon amongst the wickets.
Nick Hammond (7) attempted a cut and was caught behind by Gareth Roderick, and then Zain Ul Hassan (33) tried to work a delivery from the spinner to leg and was lbw.
Three wickets then fell in an over when Leach returned to the attack.
Connor Smith (20) went for an expansive drive and nicked through to Roderick, and then David Ball (0) was run out by Jacques Banton’s direct hit at the non-striker’s end from mid-off.
Leach then beat the push forward of Ian Bullock (0), who was bowled with the total 122-7.
Former Worcestershire player Matt Pardoe and James Rudge then produced the best stand of the day in adding 50 for the eighth wicket.
Pardoe made 46 off 69 balls with one six and four fours but then was caught at point off Ed Barnard.
Rudge (32) holed out to deep mid-wicket off Adam Finch before the innings was wrapped up by Baker, who bowled Chris Steele (1) after he attempted a big hit.
Baker finished with 3-25 from 9.2 overs and Leach 3-42 in seven overs.
Rudge took the new ball for Herefordshire, and a fine delivery accounted for Jack Haynes, who was bowled for eight.
He struck again when Brett D’Oliveira (13), having hit one six straight back down the ground off Steele, went for another big hit and top-edged a catch high onto the leg side.
But Fell and Dell then joined forces and dashed the visitors’ hopes of pulling off a shock win.
They scored freely until Dell, having made 66 off 56 balls with one six and nine fours, was caught at third man to give Rudge a third wicket.
Fell continued to collect boundaries regularly and was just four short of his hundred when Worcestershire completed the victory.
His 92 ball contained one six and 14 fours.
