Worcestershire returned to Second XI Championship action in fine style this week as they eased to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Sussex at Kidderminster, securing their place in the 2nd XI Championship final against Surrey at Loughborough next week.
After losing the first day’s play due to rain, skipper Henry Cullen lost the toss and saw his side invited to bat first.
Joe Harrison (15) and Cullen (22) both made starts but were dismissed caught behind in the early exchanges, as trialist Jacobus du Plooy continued to build on his impressive start to the innings.
Rob Jones, in a fine vein of form on the back of an impressive Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign, joined du Plooy as the pair came together in a mammoth third-wicket stand.
In a seismic 37-over partnership, the Worcestershire duo added 222 runs, with du Plooy making his way to a 121-ball century, that included 18-fours and one-six, shortly before Jones raised his bat for a fluent fifty of his own.
du Plooy went on to make a scintillating 166 before he was eventually caught off the bowling of Archie Lenhman, having guided the Pears to 295-3.
Jones notched a fine century of his own, before he too was caught for 108, extending his run of form stroking 15 boundaries during his time at the crease.
Ben Gibbon (42) and Fin Goodman (20*) were the other scores of note on the batting card for Worcestershire, as Cullen eventually called his side back into the pavilion at 402-8, eager to have a bowl at their opponents.
With play extended due to the loss of overs on the opening day, the bowling unit had time to make significant inroads into the Sussex top-order before the day was out.
Reduced to 102-4 at the close, it was Harry Darley and Tom Davies, who made the initial inroads, with Davies picking up two wickets in an impressive opening burst.
87-3 became 87-4 just before the close as Lucian Brockman saw the back of George Thomas for 44, as the hosts closed the day in pole position with Sussex 102-4.
Ben Gibbon (1-45) and Harry Darley (3-39) struck in the early exchanges of day three, but stubborn resistance from mid-season Worcestershire-loanee Bertie Foreman (62) helped Sussex up to 249 all-out, with lower order wickets for Davies (3-26), Tom Hinley and the returning Brockman helping Worcestershire establish a healthy first innings lead.
Cullen, keen to push the game forwards, invited his opponents to follow-on, with left-armer Gibbon making another early inroad as he reduced the visitors to 8-1.
Sussex skipper George Thomas played nicely for his half-century, but his wicket courtesy of the exciting youngster Brockman, came shortly after Davis had accounted for Sussex’s other opener as the Pears bowlers reigned back some control at 102-3.
A middle order collapse saw the hosts reduce Sussex to 121-6, with three wickets falling for just 19 runs in a chaotic spell.
Harry Darley (2-36) enjoyed another fruitful passage as he collected two scalps, having two batters caught by Rob Jones and Fin Goodman respectively. Brockman chipped in as he got a ball to rise that saw Lawrence edge behind to captain, Cullen, who made no mistake with a straightforward catch behind the stumps.
Gibbon was the man who broke the next Sussex stand of 48 for the seventh wicket, when he hurried Munt with a straightening delivery that was chipped up into the safe hands of Davis in the offside, with Worcestershire now smelling blood.
Stands of 22 and 18 for the eighth and ninth wickets failed to ever blossom as Gibbon and Davis grabbed another wicket apiece, with Davis capping off another tidy bowling effort to finish off the Sussex innings and leave the field with figures of 3-37 from his 7.4 overs.
Requiring a modest total of 70 to win, Joe Harrison broke the back of the chase with a composed 31* off 37, with du Plooy (8) falling early.
Cullen hit a quick fire 23 from 13 balls at number three, before his dismissal saw Rob Jones hit the winning runs at the end of the 10th over as Worcestershire eased their way to a comprehensive eight-wicket win.
The 2nd XI’s attentions now turn to their Championship final match, where they will face Surrey at Loughborough, starting on Tuesday.
Scorecard & Clips
