Worcestershire did everything right in their 2nd XI County Championship clash with Hampshrie earlier this week, only to see rain curtail their chances of capitalising on a promising position in the match.
Fateh Singh scored a fine 106, aptly supported by a composed half-century from youngster Joe Porter to help Worcesterhsire into a commanding position as they posted 393 in their first innings.
Sam Greer’s four wicket haul helped bundle Hampshire out for 200 in their first innings, as skipper Rehaan Edavalath enforced the follow-on.
Greer (4-35) led the way for his side again in the second innings, but Hampshire held on to 313-9, before the heavens opened and rain ended the contest prematurely on the final day.
Worcestershire 2nd XI returned to red ball action earlier this week, entertaining Hampshire at Kidderminster CC after a busy month of T20 cricket.
Both Jake Libby and Dan Lategan were named in the hosts’ final eleven, with preparations for the resumption of the Rothesay County Championship firmly underway.
Batting first after being inserted, the Pears made a bright start, with their pro duo putting on 75 for the first wicket, as Libby and Lategan showed their class.
It was the red ball vice-captain who saw his innings cut short on 35 however, when his patient 73 ball knock was ended as he edged behind, whilst an undeterred Lategan marched on.
He passed fifty with relative ease, guiding Worcestershire past 100 in the process, as the left-handed opener made a sumptuous 68 at the top of the order; a timely knock that will fill his coaching staff full of confidence with Division Two set to return on Friday.
His knock included 12 boundaries before he was caught at slip, before Rob Jones made his way to the middle to add a breezy 36 from 46 deliveries, before three quick wickets saw the hosts stumble to 185-6.
Academy star Joe Porter, who has impressed throughout the early sways of the summer, was in the thick of the action once again for his side, with the keeper-batter coming in at number seven to make a positive start to his innings.
He found an unlikely partner in Fateh Singh, who himself showed his more than useful batting capabilities in a gem of a lower order knock.
The seventh wicket partnership was worth a staggering 146, with Porter making a 77 ball fifty in that time, whilst Singh made a half-century of his own from just over a run-a-ball as Worcestershire took charge of the game early on day two.
Porter was eventually removed for an eye-catching 67 (eight fours), before Singh notched a superb 100 shortly after his side passed 350, eventually departing for 106 from just 117 balls, as Worcestershire were finally dismissed for 393.
Sam Greer led the way for the Pears with a four-wicket haul in Hampshire’s reply that could only muster 200.
Harry Darley bowled with his usual accuracy to return figures of 1-44, after Greer’s three early wickets had reduced the visitors to 80-4, with medium pacer George O’Connor helping himself to a wicket.
Singh (2-24) got through 16 overs on one of his first appearances back since recovering from injury as the Pears enforced the follow on, leading by a healthy 193 runs.
With some personnel changes enforced midway through the match due to commitments with the first eleven’s County Championship preparations, Jack Home and Lucian Brockman coming into the side.
Greer was the man who once again made a superb start, finding himself on a hat trick in the second over of the day as Hampshire top-order subsided at 9-3.
A fourth wicket partnership of 159 stabilised the away side, with Worcestershire’s bowlers pressing on for the key breakthrough in their efforts to wrap up the match having only batted once.
Jack Home (1-74) was the man to break the stand when he trapped Hampshire’s skipper LBW after an arduous start to day three, before the momentum swung back with the home side.
Greer (4-35) backed up his excellent first innings display with a second four-fer of the match, whilst Connor Haddow helped himself to three wickets as the visitors’ lower-order fell away, eventually reduced to 313-9.
With a tense final day beckoning, the weather intervened and rain curtailed any chance of Worcestershire pressing on for an impressive four-day victory as the sides shook hands shortly after lunch.
