Worcestershire 2nd XI showed excellent batting resolve against Lancashire, as they secured a draw, finishing the match with 11 points having been forced to follow on in their opening 2nd XI Championship match of the season.
The visitors dug deep with the ball in the blistering heat, as Lancashire piled on 507 in their first innings, as they batted through the first five sessions of the match.
George Bell made a stunning 284* for his side, with wickets shared amongst the visitors bowling attack on a surface that aided run scoring.
Ben Allison (3-45) bowled with consistency throughout, while Ben Gibbbon, collected two wickets a week on from signing a contract extension at the club.
Harry Darley, Toby Cox and Thilan Wallawita all chipped in with further wickets, before Worcestershire openers Isaac Mohammed and Rehaan Edavalath made their way to the middle having spent 150 overs in the field.
It was the promising Isaac, who made another big impression, with 85 from 105 balls at the top of the card, as the middle order all made starts but failed to kick on against a disciplined Lancashire attack.
Jack Home (40) and Allison (39) both made scores of note further down the order, but the away side were restricted to 277 in reply, trailing by 230 at the completion of their first innings.
Made to follow-on, Worcestershire were forced into a change as Fin Goodman replaced Isaac, with the 17-year-old drafted into the Rapids T20 squad for their clash against Durham.
Kiwi star Henry Nicholls led the way for his side, making a quite superb 215 across his seven-hour stay at the crease, stroking 24 fours in a sublime innings.
Captain, Edavalath, made his way to fifty in an opening stand of 90 with Nicholls, before he was removed and followed soon after by Rob Jones (15) and Seth Essenhigh (3).
Seeking parity in the game at 243-5, Allison joined Nicholls at the crease, as the pair came together for an eye-catching 199-run partnership, as their sixth wicket stand took the visitors into the lead as the match neared its inevitable completion.
Allison, showed great temperament, as he batted through for 104 not-out off of 164 deliveries, joined by Gibbon late on after Nicholls’ superb repost was brought to an end.
With a draw the only possible outcome late on Day Four, Worcestershire declared on 445-6, with both sides shaking hands, and the visitors taking 11 points from their opening four-day match of the season.
The 2nd XI now begin preparations for the visit of Glamorgan 2nd XI, on the 2nd July.
