Worcestershire Captain Brett D’Oliveira insisted his team will give it their all to win the game against Middlesex, despite facing an uphill battle on the final day at New Road.
The match is finely poised, with Worcestershire still in with an outside chance of salvaging a dramatic final day win, although a draw looks the more achievable result for the home side, who trail the visitors by 324-runs with eight second innings wickets in hand.
Leus du Plooy’s unbeaten century kept the Pears in the field for a prolonged period of time on day three, before the visiting captain opted to declare with his side 283-6, in front by 357 runs.
Two late casualties in the form of both openers did Worcestershire’s sizeable run-chase no favours early on, but D’Oliveira said his side have to adjust to what is in front of them.
“Credit to Leus, he delivered an outstanding knock and you have to give credit where it is due.
“I think we could have bowled a little bit better in places, but then I look back to the first day and they were 20-1 for what felt like a lifetime when we could have had two or three early and we didn’t quite get the rewards.
“When cricket is against you sometimes it really does kick you. We had some unlucky dismissals late on but that is what it is.
“You have to play what is in front of you ultimately.”
Libby was dealt a tough blow in the first over of Worcestershire’s chase, run-out at the non-strikers end after Dan Lategan pinged a straight drive back down the ground that deflected off the hand of Toby Roland-Jones and clattered into the stumps, with the vice captain dismissed without facing a ball.
Lategan looked to guide his team through to the close, but he too was out in unfortunate circumstances as a ball that gripped from Zohar rose on the left-hander, who could only edge the ball to Tom Helm at slip for 15.
Ben Allison saw the remainder of the night through with Gareth Roderick, with the home side facing the task of batting out the duration of the final day if they are to claim anything from the match.
Pears skipper D’Oliveira assessed the situation that faces his side on the eve of a decisive final day.
“Someone has got to be our hero and try and knock those runs off.
“It feels like that type of wicket where something doesn’t happen for a period of time, then something quite extravagant happens and the pressure comes back on.
“Hopefully tomorrow we can avoid those extravagant movements, somebody can get in and go really big.
“We have been here before already this season so we will rock up tomorrow and if we bat those overs out, we will most likely end up somewhere near their total.
“If we are in with a chance of winning the game then great, if not we will look to bat those overs out and salvage a draw.”
