Youngsters Jack Home and Harry Darley starred with both bat and ball to lead an inspired Worcestershire fightback on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash against Durham.
A tenth-wicket stand of 58, led by Home’s composed and mature 63, saw the Pears bat through the morning session of day two, claiming two batting points as they compiled a competitive 308.
Darley opened his account in first-class cricket for Worcestershire when he dismissed Ben McKinney early on, before Home claimed the prize scalp of Stokes for 14 as Durham stumbled to 119-4.
Tom Taylor returned late on to grab his second wicket of the day to end David Bedingham’s fine knock of 83, before Matthew Waite (2-28) collected a sixth Durham victim late on as the visitors closed 101-runs behind at 207-6.
Blue skies and uninterrupted sunshine greeted Ethan Brookes and Tom Taylor as they emerged from the Graeme Hick Pavilion poised to continue Worcestershire’s batting resistance at the start of the second day’s play at New Road.
Having led the batting repost with remarkable composure during a testing evening session on Friday, Brookes started in exuberant fashion, reverse sweeping Callum Parkinson for four from the second ball of the spinner’s first over of the day.
Brookes made his way to a measured 28, but saw his wicket fall when he attempted the same shot a ball later and could only edge to Kasey Aldridge at first slip.
Making his first red-ball appearance since 2024, the exciting Jack Home made his way to the middle with his side in need of a lower-order partnership at 222-8.
The 20-year-old dazzled, showing his batting acumen with an eye-catching array of shots as he found the boundary four times in the early stages of his cameo, showing a particular liking for the short ball as he pulled the ball with disdain.
Taylor, who had seen his side past 250 and collect a valuable batting bonus point, became Ben Raine’s fourth victim of the innings when the seamer trapped the Worcestershire man LBW in front for a well-made 25 with just the second delivery since the new ball had been taken.
Home, playing in his third first-class match for the Pears, continued his spritely knock, as he deposited Parkinson into the stands with a glorious shot over extra cover, whilst partner Harry Darley held firm for over fifty deliveries at the other end as Worcestershire forced an extended morning session.
The impressive rearguard from Home transpired into a cultured and mature exhibition of lower order batting, as the England U19 seamer continued to edge his side towards 300.
The crowning moment came in the final forays before lunch, as Home rocked onto his back foot and punched a ball through mid-on, raising his bat to celebrate a maiden first-class in front of an overjoyed New Road crowd.
Having faced 91 balls to reach the milestone, Worcestershire’s young gun saw his side to lunch 303-9, leaving the field 62 unbeaten, with partner Darley seven not-out from 98 balls.
Having valiantly guided their side past 300, Darley (12 from 108) was dismissed 10 balls into the afternoon session, as the impressive Ben Raine claimed his fifth wicket of the innings to finish with figures of 5-63, with Home unbeaten having made a superb 63.
Alex Lees and Ben McKinney opened Durham’s reply to 308 midway through day two, but the latter could only add 14 before he edged to Adam Hose at slip to become Darley’s maiden first-class wicket as the Pears made an ideal start.
With the returning Ben Stokes watching on from the dressing room, all eyes were on Emilio Gay as the England hopeful made his way to the middle for the visitors, but he had barely taken guard as Matthew Waite produced a tempting delivery that kissed the edge of Alex Lees’ bat on nine, as Durham stumbled to 35-2.
Jack Home’s introduction with the ball threatened to spark another breakthrough, but a disciplined partnership between Gay and David Bedingham added 55 to the visitors total to stem the Worcestershire tide.
The prolonged Pears pressure eventually told however, as the complexion of the match swung dramatically in a crucial five over period early in the evening.
Gay made his way to a tempered 28 from 56 balls, before the relentless Tom Taylor claimed his first scalp of the innings with a ball that cramped the left-hander and glanced his bat on the way through to Gareth Roderick, as Worcestershire seized the moment.
As predicted, Ben Stokes entered the fray and wasted little time asserting himself at the crease, starting with his usual authority as he raced to 14, but his enterprising cameo was curtailed in a magical moment for youngster, Home.
An away shaping delivery continued to drift on the left-hander, whose attempt to guide the ball backwards of point could only find Ethan Brookes at second slip, who took an excellent reaction catch to spark scenes of unadulterated joy for the home side.
With Durham 119-4, Bedingham and Graham Clark settled in, frustrating the hosts as Brett D’Oliveira was forced to rotate his bowlers having seen the South-African reach a classy fifty.
Ethan Brookes (0-7) was unable to find a way through the stubborn batter from the Diglis End, but teammate Taylor was jumping for joy when he secured the vital fifth Durham wicket when he got a full ball to jag back and wrap Bedingham on the pad for 83.
The elation continued for the hosts when Waite returned to remove Nightwatchman Callum Parkinson for nought, before a tough chance was squandered at slip when Jake Libby was unable to cling on at full stretch down to his left in the penultimate over of the day.
At 207-6, Worcestershire left the field at stumps in buoyant mood having squeezed their opponents and restricted them to a position where they will hope to capitalise on during the early exchanges of day three.
