Saturday, June 28th, 2014

Mitchell And Hay Fever Victim Ajmal Close To Batting And Bowling Milestones

Mitchell And Hay Fever Victim Ajmal Close To Batting And Bowling Milestones

Skipper Daryl Mitchell is top of Worcestershire's batting averages in the LV County Championship – and needs just 80 runs to reach the 1,000 run mark for the season.

Opener Mitchell scored his fourth century of the season in the 234 run away success over Leicestershire in a addition to a 97.

He is averaging 92 with the bat after the opening nine games of the campaign ahead of tomorrow's home meeting with Glamorgan.

Alexei Kervezee became the second Worcestershire player to top 500 Championship runs in 2014 with his century and half century against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

On the bowling front, Saeed Ajmal needs only six more wickets to reach the 50 mark in red ball cricket.

His devastating burst of 6-19 against Leicestershire on the final day took his wicket tally to 44 from seven games.

Ajmal's efforts are even more worthwhile considering he has been suffering from severe hay fever during the past month with the dry and sunny spell of weather.

Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes said: "He has been terrific. He has been suffering for the past month with really bad hay fever.

"He gets it really bad and, credit to him, he's not missed a game and has bowled well nearly everytime he has been out there for us in all formats."

The Pakistan star is available for two more Championship matches – both at New Road against Glamorgan and Leicestershire – before his second spell at the county ends of July 17.

There have also been major wicket-taking contributions from Jack Shantry (32), Charlie Morris (26), Gareth Andrew (20) and latterly Joe Leach (13).

The quintet have helped the county collect maximum bowling points from all nine matches – the only side in either division to achieve that feat.

 LV = COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP AVERAGES AFTER NINE MATCHES

BATTING

Mitchell Matches 9, Innings 13, Not Outs 3, Runs 920, Average 92.00

Ali 5, 5, 0, 371, 74.20

Kervezee 9, 12, 0, 507, 42.25

Hales 1, 2, 0, 78, 39.00

Cox 9, 12, 1, 394, 35.81

Fell 5, 6, 0, 201, 33.50

Shantry 9, 11, 4, 166, 23.71

Pardoe 9, 13, 1, 284, 23.66

Andrew 4, 6, 1, 108, 21.60

Morris 9, 9, 7, 40, 20.00

Whiteley 9, 12, 0, 206, 17.16

Leach 5, 6, 0, 95, 15.83

Kohler-Cadmore 6, 10, 0, 153, 15.30

Ajmal 7, 7, 1, 69, 11.50

Choudhry 2, 3, 0 20, 6.67

BOWLING

Andrew Matches 4, Overs 106, Maidens 25, Runs 319, Wickets 20, Average 15.95

Ajmal 7, 306.3, 88, 751, 44, 17.06

Shantry 9, 259.5, 63, 704, 32, 22.00

Leach 5, 102.4, 18, 318, 13, 24.46

Morris 9, 278.2, 72, 740, 26, 28.46

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 9, 12, 1, 44, 0, —

Pardoe 9, 10, 2, 24, 0 —

Kervezee 9, 2, 0, 5, 0 —

Mitchell 9, 1, 1, 0, 0 —