Match Reports

Worcestershire v Gloucestershire | LV= Insurance County Championship

DAY ONE

Tom Price scored his maiden first class century for Gloucestershire and then took a hat-trick to transform his side’s fortunes after they had plunged to 45-7 on the opening day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match at New Road.

The 23-year-old reached three figures off 93 balls with four sixes and 11 fours and shepherded his side to a more respectable 231 all out.

He then dismissed Azhar Ali, Jack Haynes and Worcestershire Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira – all caught behind by keeper James Bracey – to register the second hat-trick of his career.

Academy product Price, who had been dismissed for a pair on his debut against Worcestershire in 2020, continued his good start to the season after scoring a half-century and taking six wickets against Glamorgan.

He received excellent support from the rest of the lower order including Ajeet Singh Dale who partnered him in a last wicket stand of 49.

Joe Leach maintained his impressive form with a four-wicket haul for the home side.

Worcestershire made two changes from the side beaten at Durham – one of them enforced - with keeper Ben Cox and pace bowler Josh Tongue returning to the side.

Cox replaced Gareth Roderick, who injured his thumb in training, for only his second Championship appearance in 11 months and 

Tongue is being rotated on a match on-match off basis after his career threatening shoulder problem.

Unchanged Gloucestershire’s previous Championship match with Yorkshire at Bristol was abandoned without a ball being bowled and they looked ring-rusty after skipper Graeme van Buuren opted to bat.

The new ball partnership of Leach and Ben Gibbon hit their straps with the new ball and reduced the visitors to 24-5 via some quality bowling.

Left armer Gibbon had returned his career-best match figures of 6-147 at Durham and his first over brought two wicket in two balls.

He has worked on being as effective with the new ball as in his later spells and it again paid dividends.

Chris Dent edged a back of the length delivery to second slip and the next delivery accounted for James Bracey who fended to gulley.

Leach had picked up his 400th wicket for Worcestershire at the Seat Unique Riverside and the long-serving all-rounder further added to Gloucestershire’s woes.

Miles Hammond drove into the hands of Libby at fourth slip before Leach claimed the prized wicket of Marcus Harris.

The Australian has signed a two year deal with Gloucestershire, had scored 59 and 148 on his debut against Glamorgan, and yesterday was named in his country’s squad for the World Championship final and the opening two Ashes Tests.

But he contributed only a single before he played back to Leach and was lbw.

Ollie Price departed in the same manner and Gloucestershire were in disarray at 32-6 when van Buuren top edged a pull to Cox off Dillon Pennington.

Jack Taylor has scored four of his seven Championship centuries for Gloucestershire but this time perished to a fine catch from 

Gibbon running back from mid off to give Pennington his second scalp.

But from 45-7 Price spearheaded an aggressive fightback by his side.

Zafar Gohar helped him add 44 before Ben Cox held onto a fine low catch away to his left to provide Leach with his fourth wicket.

Price went into overdrive with 4-4-6 off successive balls from Gibbon and he reached his half century with three boundaries in a row off Pennington.

Marchant de Lange struck three sixes and also provide support for Price before he top edged an attempted pull at Josh Tongue and skied another catch to Cox.

Price was on 52 when last man Ajeet Singh Dale came to the wicket but he then went into overdrive during a partnership of 81.

He surpassed his previous best score of 71 versus Warwickshire at Bristol last summer and a single off Waite took him to three figures from 93 balls with four sixes and 11 fours.

His superb innings ended in unfortunate manner on 109 when Dale straight drove Matthew Waite who deflected the ball onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Price out of his ground.

When Worcestershire batted, openers Jake Libby and Ed Pollock were relatively untroubled in posting a half century stand in 14.3 overs.

But then four wickets fell in the space of eight balls for one run as Tom Price again took centre stage.

Dale made the first breakthrough in trapping Libby lbw.

Azhar Ali and Haynes both nibbled at deliveries and were caught behind and the hat-trick was completed when D’Oliveira pushed forward and gave Bracey another catch.

Pollock batted responsibly in making 34 before he inside-edged a Tom Price delivery and Bracey again held onto the chance low to his right.

Cox, 15, went lbw to Dale after adding 31 with Waite and Dale struck for a third time as Leach was snapped up at gully.

 

DAY TWO

Worcestershire and Gloucestershire were left frustrated by the weather after day two of the LV=Insurance County Championship match at New Road was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Heavy morning rain left the outfield saturated and umpires Chris Watts and Ian Blackwell called off play for the day at 1.15pm.

It was in stark contrast to events on the opening day when 17 wickets fell and 349 runs were scored in a see-saw contest.

When conditions allow, Worcestershire will resume on 118 for 7  in reply to Gloucestershire's 231 all out.

DAY THREE

Ajeet Singh Dale’s career best bowling performance and half centuries from Chris Dent and James Bracey steered Gloucestershire into a powerful position heading into the final day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match with Worcestershire at New Road. 

Dale bowled with considerable pace to pick up the final three Worcestershire wickets on the third morning to finish with 6 for 41 from 17.1 overs as Gloucestershire established a first innings lead of 74. 

It was his first ever five-for in first class cricket and then Dent fought his way through a testing time with the new ball before he and Bracey cemented Gloucestershire’s position of strength and extended their advantage to 220 before bad light intervened. 

For Worcestershire, there was the encouragement of Josh Tongue working up a good head of pace which brought him three wickets. 

But Worcestershire can still expect to face a daunting target on the final day in what are still bowler-friendly conditions. 

After the wash-out of the second day, mobile heating apparatus was needed to dry out the bowlers run-ups at both ends before play was able to get underway at 12 noon with a minimum of 88 overs remaining. 

Seventeen wickets had fallen on the first day to a mixture of fine seam bowling and poor shot selection. 

Worcestershire resumed on 118/7 under cloudy skies and Singh Dale polished off the innings after a morning spell of 7.1-2-18-3. 

He made his senior debut for Hampshire in 2020, playing two Championship games, before moving to Gloucestershire at the end of 2021 season. 

Singh Dale made eight Championship appearances last summer and signed a two-year contract extension in January until the end of the 2025 campaign. 

He did not take a wicket in the opening game of the campaign against Glamorgan but was a constant threat to the Worcestershire batters. 

Matthew Waite, a century-maker in the opening game against Derbyshire, added only seven to his overnight 44 before he pushed at a delivery and edged to second slip. 

Josh Tongue survived 52 balls for 11 before he lost his leg stump to Singh Dale to complete his first five-for in first class cricket. 

Sing Dale wrapped up proceedings when Dillon Pennington drove at a delivery and gave keeper James Bracey his fifth catch of the innings. 

Price finished with 4-58 from 16 overs to add to his maiden first class century on day one. 

When Gloucestershire batted, Dent had a let off on six when Ed Pollock failed to hold onto a head high chance at first slip off Joe Leach. 

Dent and Marcus Harris were given a searching examination against the new ball and there was much playing and missing but they fought their way through to raise the half-century stand in 18 overs. 

Tongue bowled an impressive initial spell and eventually made a breakthrough when Harris (26) deliberately tried to uppercut over the slips and was caught behind. 

There continued to be enough in the pitch to encourage the bowlers. 

But Dent began to grow in authority and confidence and greeted Brett D’Oliveira’s introduction into the attack with a straight six. 

He completed a 106 ball half century, his second of the season after his 78 versus Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens. 

Tongue returned to have Bracey, 51, caught behind and, after a short break for bad light, accounted for Miles Hammond who attempted a pull but lobbed a catch to mid on.

 

DAY FOUR

Gloucestershire were denied probable victory by the elements after ripping out the Worcestershire top order on the final day of the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter at New Road.

The visitors resumed on 172-3 in their second innings and added 54 runs in 10 overs before captain Graeme van Buuren pulled out.

Worcestershire were set a 301 target in 84 overs and a mixture of testing bowling in seam-friendly conditions and some poor shot selections reduced them to 51-4 with Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira also retiring with a hand injury.

But it began raining during the lunch interval to leave Gloucestershire still searching for their first win of the season after last week’s total wash-out against Yorkshire at Bristol.

It was hard not to feel sympathy for Gloucestershire who had shown great resilience to recover from being reduced to 45-7 on the opening morning.

Tom Price had the once in a life-time performance with a maiden century and a hat-trick on the same day while Ajeet Singh Dale’s career-best 6-41 cemented their position of strength.

Worcestershire were left to reflect on failing to capitalise on their early dominance with the ball and would have been the more relieved of the two sides when play was eventually abandoned after tea.

Both sides had to be content with eight points.

Van Buuren had scored the bulk of the runs during the morning session in making an unbeaten 34 although he survived a chance to deep mid-wicket off Joe Leach.

Chris Dent, 83, was the one wicket to fall before the declaration when he top edged a catch to keeper Ben Cox off Matthew Waite.

Worcestershire opener Ed Pollock had an escape from the first ball of the innings when he was put down at gulley off Marchant de Lange.

But he failed to profit from this let-off and on three went to pull Tom Price and skied a catch to square leg.

Azhar Ali was also guilty of a reckless shot when he mistimed a hook against Tom Price and was pouched at mid on.

But there was little Jack Haynes could do about a de Lange delivery which lifted on him and flew to second slip as he collected a pair in the game.

Worcestershire Club captain, Brett D’Oliveira, was then forced to retire injured after being struck on the left fore-arm by another pacey de Lange delivery.

Opener Jake Libby made 22 before he nicked a delivery which lifted on him from Ajeet Singh Dale to gully to leave Worcestershire wobbling at lunch - and then the elements took over.