Worcestershire Academy again showed great fighting qualities before earning an honourable draw from the Tri-Series encounter with Leicestershire Academy at Bromsgrove CC.
There was more than one occasion in the game when the visitors looked to be building a position of strength.
But Worcestershire refused to buckle and were able to establish a position in the game where they could set Leicestershire a target of 256 in a minimum of 42 overs.
After an innings of see-sawing fortunes, they closed on 240-8.
Worcestershire had recovered on day two with the ball to restrict Leicestershire’s first innings advantage to 88 and then their second wicket pair of Callum Lea and Dan Holland put on 127.
The stand was broken when Holland was lbw to Butchart for 44 at 152-2.
Lea went onto complete a fine century but there was a mid innings wobble when three wickets fell for 15 runs and, at 185-5, the lead was only 97.
One of those dismissals was Lea for 110 off 184 balls with 17 fours.
But then the middle and lower order rallied with Pete Clark (28) and Riecko Parker-Cole (33) adding 64.
Lewis Evans (29 not out) and Ed Bragg (37 not out) also put on 64 – unbroken – for the ninth wicket before the declaration.
Leicestershire were given a fine start with Ashish Trusz and Butchart, who had an excellent all-round game, putting on 119 for the first wicket.
Butchart departed for 53 but at 169-1 Leicestershire looked well in control only for Worcestershire to fightback yet again.
Trusz was run out for 86 and then Matt Davis picked up two wickets in quick succession.
Only Harry Funnell (40 not out) of the remaining batsmen made much of contribution as a fine contest ended with honours even.
Parker-Cole ended with 3-43 and Davies 2-42.
—
DAY THREE
WORCESTERSHIRE CCC ACADEMY – SECOND INNINGS CONTINUED
(overnight 105-1)
Lea c Jones b Butchart 110
Clist c Green b Patel 13
Holland lbw Butchart 44
Eckland c Bates b Butchart 7
Ul-Hassan c Green b Butchart 0
Clark c Butchart b Dickinson 28
Parker-Cole lbw Dickinson 33
Evans not out 29
Hardwick c Graham b Dickinson 18
Bragg not out 37
Extras 24
Total (for 8 wickets declared) 343 in 95 overs
FOW CONTINUED: 152, 170, 170, 185, 249, 257, 279
—
BOWLING
Graham 14-5-50-0
Patel 14-3-49-1
Bowley 16-5-30-0
Trusz 8-2-23-0
Dickinson 15-1-67-3
Butchart 28-5-102-4
—
LEICESTERSHIRE ACADEMY – SECOND INNINGS
Trusz run out (Davis) 86
Butchart c Ul-Hassan 53
Nightingale b Parker-Cole 34
Green b Davis 2
Bates b Davis 0
Funnell not out 40
Bell b Ul-Hassan 0
Patel b Parker-Cole 6
Dickinson b Parker-Cole 0
Bowley not out 0
Extras 19
Total (for 8 wickets) 240 in 44 overs
—
FOW: 119, 169, 172, 174, 220, 225, 240, 240
—
BOWLING
Parker-Cole 9-1-43-3
Davis 9-1-42-2
Ul-Hassan 8-0-34-1
Evans 9-1-55-0
Clark 6-1-34-1
Bragg 2-0-7-0
Holland 1-0-10-0
*Worcestershire Seconds secured a draw after the final day of their four-day friendly with Warwickshire Seconds at Barnt Green was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The elements came to the rescue for Worcestershire who had only three second innings wickets remaining after following on.
