New Worcestershire signing Henry Nicholls praised his side’s fighting spirit after a dramatic opening day against Durham in the Rothesay County Championship at Visit Worcestershire New Road, a day that saw 14 wickets fall and the match left finely poised.
Nicholls, who was awarded his Worcestershire cap before play, marked his debut with a determined 42 from 155 deliveries in challenging conditions. Reflecting after stumps, the New Zealander admitted it had been a stern examination for the batters.
“It was certainly a competitive day of cricket,” said Nicholls. “The conditions were challenging at times, and both sets of bowlers made life difficult. I thought it was really pleasing that we were able to come back well with the ball in the evening session and leave ourselves in a good position for tomorrow.”
Having arrived in England just days before the match, Nicholls wasted little time in adapting to English conditions, but he acknowledged that the Visit Worcestershire New Road surface, combined with a slow outfield, added to the difficulties.
“There was definitely a little bit of sideways movement, some lateral movement off the seam,” he explained.
“The slower outfield meant that there wasn’t much value for shots either. Balls that you’d usually expect to race to the boundary were holding up, going for ones and twos instead of fours. That allowed the bowlers to build pressure through dot balls.”
Asked about the pace of the pitch, Nicholls added: “It was probably a little on the slower side too, which contributed to the scoring rates being fairly low for both teams.”
Despite the difficult conditions, Nicholls showed great application during his first innings for Worcestershire, batting through testing spells and helping to rebuild after a top-order collapse.
“It’s nice to feel challenged sometimes when you’re batting,” he admitted. “Even though I never really felt fully comfortable out there, even after facing over 100 balls, you have to find a way. It was good to get a partnership going with Adam [Hose] and to give us a bit of momentum at a crucial time. Every single run in this match is going to be vital.”
The 33-year-old’s arrival at Visit Worcestershire New Road continues a proud tradition of New Zealanders representing the club, something Nicholls is keenly aware of.
“They gave me the rundown of the Kiwis who’ve played here in recent years, and even going back a lot further too,” he smiled. “It’s very special to have been given my cap today. It’s also great to link up with Jacob [Duffy], who’s a good mate of mine and someone I’ve known for a long time.”
While his move to Worcestershire happened at short notice, Nicholls said he was excited to embrace the opportunity.
“I’m very excited to be here for the next few weeks and to play some county cricket. It’s a brilliant chance to hit the ground running, and I’m really looking forward to the matches ahead.”
With Durham closing on 55 for four in reply to Worcestershire’s 162, Nicholls believes the match is still very much in the balance but stressed the importance of starting strongly on the second morning.
“I think it’s going to continue to be challenging for batters,” he said. “There’s some variable bounce to go along with the lateral movement, so it’s going to be about building pressure for long periods. If we can pick up a couple of wickets early, we can definitely put ourselves into a strong position.”
Nicholls’ calm and determined presence at the crease, and now in the dressing room, will undoubtedly be an asset for Worcestershire over the coming weeks, as the Pears looks to build on a hard-fought opening day.
