A sparkling 266 from Adam Hose and an unbeaten Jake Libby century saw Worcestershire finish Day One 456-3 against Hampshire, as the Pears enjoyed one of their most memorable days in Division One of the Rothesay County Championship.
Hose came together with Skipper Libby in the 13th over of the day, and together put on a record 395-run partnership, with Hose making the highest ever score recorded by a Worcestershire number four batter.
Libby secured a fine century of his own in the process, batting with exceptional concentration for 96 overs for his 137*, laying the perfect platform from the top of the order.
Hose’s highest ever First-Class score, is now the highest ever by a visiting player in First-Class cricket at the Utilita Bowl, put Worcestershire in complete control at the close of play.
Travelling to the Utilita Bowl without key men Brett D’Oliviera and Jacob Duffy, Jake Libby won the toss and elected to bat, announcing that Adam Finch would be returning to the side, in addition to Callum Parkinson’s debut for the club.
The signs were ominous early on for the Pears, when Henry Nicholls edged behind and departed without scoring.
Kashif Ali came to the middle and in his usual flamboyant style, began to get the scoreboard ticking for his side, as he came together with Libby for a 57-run stand.
After stroking nine boundaries in his 38 ball 44, Ali was given out LBW six runs short of a well-deserved half century, bringing Hose to the middle.
After a challenging campaign thus far, what ensued was as close to a batting masterclass as the Worcestershire faithful could merely have dreamed of.
Coming together at 60-2, the pair steered their side through to lunch in confident fashion on a wicket that enabled run-scoring, with the batters walking off at the interval 101-2.
Hose raised his bat early into the afternoon, bringing up an aggressive but well-paced fifty off 74 deliveries, before Libby continued his staunch knock, bringing up his fifty off 108 deliveries.
On a flat wicket, the pair began to enjoy themselves against a Kookaburra ball offering little movement or assistance to the Hampshire bowlers, bringing up their side’s 200 in the 5st over of the day.
Hose’s remarkable stroke play came to the fore as the day progressed, with his driving through the covers a particular hallmark on his way to a superb 100 off just 126 deliveries.
Worcestershire’s 250 was risen in the 61st over of the day, with neither batter looking like giving away the opportunity they had so tirelessly worked towards.
Shortly after tea, Hose notched his 150, continuing his more aggressive approach at the crease, whilst his Skipper, Libby, raised his bat when he reached a fine century of his own off 219 balls, as Worcestershire soon reached the 350 mark, as the sun continued to beam down on what was quickly becoming a very memorable day for the two men in the middle.
With Hampshire flagging in the heat, Hose’s assault on the leather continued, reaching 200 off of 208 balls, nailing 24 fours and four-sixes in the process.
With Hose reaching the 250 milestone in faultless fashion from just 240 deliveries, he and Libby took their side past the 400 mark, shortly after Hampshire had taken the new ball.
With scorers, statisticians and supporters all frantically looking through the record books to see what was on the cusp of being broken, it was in fact Damian D’Oliveira’s record of the highest ever score by a number four-batter for Worcestershire (237) that fell first, as Hose marched on to also secure he finished his innings as the individual with the highest ever score by a visiting player in First-Class Cricket.
The mammoth 395-run third-wicket partnership, was eventually ended in the 95th over of the day, when Hose departed having edged a ball to slip, finishing his simply magnificent knock on 266, to handshakes and and applause around the ground.
Facing just 255 balls in his duration at the crease, Hose chalked up 31 fours and seven-sixes, leaving with his team 455-3, with seven balls remaining in the day.
Libby, in a stereotypically cultured and professional manner, saw the remaining over out with nightwatchman Adam Finch, as he then walked off to a rousing reception of his own from the away balcony, finishing the day 137* and passing 10,000 First-Class runs in the process, after a textbook display of patience and focus at the crease.
Stumps were met with the visitors on a mind-boggling 456-3, with the forecast and conditions looking to repeat themselves tomorrow, the side scrapping at the wrong end of Division One will be all too aware that the match is far from over.
