Day 1 report - Worcestershire v Gloucestershire
28 August 2017
Worcestershire opener Brett D'Oliveira was within eight runs of completing his third Specsavers County Championship century of the season at tea on the opening day of the clash with Gloucestershire at New Road.
D'Oliveira celebrated signing a new extended contract by holding the Worcestershire innings together after they opted to bat first on a used pitch.
He shared in half century stands with Tom Fell and Joe Clarke and reached 92 out of 198-4 from 68 overs by the interval, having struck two sixes and 10 fours in his 186 ball knock.
Worcestershire handed a debut to Indian Test spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Liam Norwell struck an early blow for the visitors when Daryl Mitchell (6) was caught at first slip.
But the Gloucestershire paceman had to leave the field, seeming to dislocate a finger fielding a return shot from Tom Fell and had still to return by tea.
D'Oliveira and Tom Fell added 72 in 26 overs before the latter on a season's best 38 in the Championship was trapped lbw by spinner Tom Smith just before lunch.
Joe Clarke looked in excellent touch and reeled off a series of fine cover drives but on 32 holed out to short mid wicket from a Kieran Noema-Barnett delivery that stopped in the pitch.
He added 61 in 15 overs with D'Oliveira who brought up his half century off 109 balls with seven boundaries.
Smith enjoyed a second success when George Rhodes (19) was pouched at first slip.
Ashwin received generous applause when he went to the wicket at 184-4 for his first innings as a County player.
Gloucestershire spinner Tom Smith, who picked up three wickets, is relishing the challenge that Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will provide on a used pitch tomorrow.
He said: "It is a wicket that has been prepared for Ashwin. It is a used wicket and it's one of those days that you want to contribute as a spinner because you are probably not going to bowl on too many of those in England.
"It is my first (Championship) game in two years and I thought when the T20 finished that was probably the end of my season.
"But a few people have got injured and given me an opportunity.
"We need to wrap it up pretty quickly tomorrow. It should be easier facing their seam bowlers but obviously Ashwin is going to be out there all day and we are going to have to find a way of combating him.
"It is amazing for us (to face him). We don't see those sort of players regularly in county cricket and for me personally as a spinner watching him and facing him will be great and seeing how he goes about it."
