All-rounder Alex Hepburn maintained his fine run of form – this time with the ball – as Worcestershire Seconds dismissed their Leicestershire counterparts for 305 on the opening day of the Second Eleven Championship match at Kidderminster.
Hepburn last week scored his second century of the summer for the Seconds in the Championship match with Durham and then impressed with bat and ball in two Twenty20 games against the same opposition.
Now the 19-year-old medium pacer recorded career best bowling figures for the Seconds of 5-66 after the visitors had elected to bat.
Leicestershire got off to a flying start with former Worcestershire opener Matt Pardoe hitting 48 off just 22 balls with 11 boundaries.
But Ross Whiteley trapped Pardoe lbw and then wickets fell at regular intervals including another ex Worcestershire player Neil Pinner (10) who was one of Hepburn's victims.
Leicestershire declined from 59-0 to 132-6 before Zak Chappell (52) and James Sykes (66), who was dropped twice, added 113 in 24 overs in the only substantial stand of the innings.
Hepburn wrapped up the innings to complete his five wicket haul.
Worcestershire lost openers Brett D'Oliveira (4) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (17) in making 30-2 from 12 overs before bad light halted proceedings and play was called off for the day at 6.20pm.
Leicestershire 2nds – first innings
Pardoe lbw Whiteley 48
Kurtz c Choudhry b D'Oliveira 38
Pinner c Kervezee b Hepburn 10
Hill c Clarke b Hepburn 0
Wells lbw Choudhry 22
Ali b D'Oliveira 0
Chappell c Rhodes b Wade 52
Sykes c D'Oliveira b Hepburn 66
Freckingham c Kohler-Cadmore b Hepburn 25
Corbett not out 2
Wyatt lbw Hepburn 16
Extras 16
Total (all out) 305 in 74.1 overs
FOW: 59, 71, 71, 126, 126, 132, 245, 286, 287, 305
Bowling
Tongue 5-0-43-0
Whiteley 5-1-28-1
Hepburn 20.1-8-66-5
Wade 14-2-50-1
Choudhry 18-4-47-1
D'Oliveira 12-1-60-2
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Worcestershire 2nds – first innings
Kohler-Cadmore c Kurtz b Wyatt 17
D'Oliveira c Pardoe b Chappell 4
Rhodes not out 8
Clarke not out 1
Extras 0
Total (for 2 wickets) 30 in 12 overs
FOW: 18, 21
Bowling: Chappell 1-9, Wyatt 1-9
