Worcestershire's battery of bowlers have done the county proud during the opening half of the LV = County Championship campaign.
They have ensured Worcestershire are the only side in the two divisions to have secured maximum bowling points from the first eight matches of 2014.
Saeed Ajmal (37), Jack Shantry (27), Chris Morris (20) and Gareth Andrew (20) have been the main Championship wicket-takers with Joe Leach (10) also doing an excellent job since coming into the side.
There have been career best performances from Ajmal – 7-19 against Essex – Leach – 5-36 against Kent – and Andrew – 5-40 against Glamorgan.
The seam bowlers have all stepped up to the plate as a unit and helped Worcestershire overcome the retirement of talisman Alan Richardson during the winter.
But equally significant is the economy rate with Morris (2.46) Ajmal (2.50),Shantry (2.73) and Leach (2.97) all going for less than three runs an over while Andrew is is only just above that mark at 3.01.
It is a contrast to last season when Worcestershire were sometimes guilty of bowling too many 'four' balls and releasing pressure on their opponents.
The winter work undertaken under the supervision of bowling coach Matt Mason in concentrating on a tight and disciplined line has paid handsome dividends.
On the batting front skipper Daryl Mitchell has had a first half of the campaign to remember with three centuries and a 97 and 774 runs at an average of 96.75.
Ben Cox has also showed increasing maturity as a batsman with three 50 plus scores including a maiden 100 this week against Hampshire.
LV = COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP AVERAGES AFTER EIGHT MATCHES
BATTING
Mitchell Matches 8, Innings 11, Not Outs 3, Runs 774, Average 96.75
Ali 5, 5, 0, 371, 74.20
Cox 8, 10, 1, 374, 41.56
Hales 1, 2, 0, 78, 39.00
Kervezee 8, 10, 0, 348, 34.80
Pardoe 8, 11, 1, 269, 26.90
Shantry 8, 9, 3, 141, 23.50
Andrew 4, 6, 1, 108, 21.60
Leach 4, 4, 0, 77, 19.25
Fell 4, 4, 0, 75, 18.75
Morris 8, 8, 6, 37, 18.50
Whiteley 8, 10, 0, 182, 18.20
Ajmal 6, 6, 1, 42, 8.40
Kohler-Cadmore 5, 8, 0, 65, 8.13
Choudhry 2, 3, 0 20, 6.67
BOWLING
Andrew Matches 4, Overs 106, Maidens 25, Runs 319, Wickets 20, Average 15.95
Ajmal 6, 274.3, 78, 686, 37, 18.54
Shantry 8, 220.5, 51, 602, 27, 22.30
Leach 4, 77.4, 13, 231, 10, 23.10
Morris 8, 239.0, 64, 589, 21, 28.05
Ali 5, 78.5, 18, 204, 7, 29.14
Russell 1, 14.0, 1, 73, 2, 36.50
Choudhry 2, 34.0, 8, 103, 1, 103.00
Whiteley 8, 8, 1, 30, 0, —
Pardoe 8, 10, 2, 24, 0 —
Kervezee 8, 2, 0, 5, 0 —
