REPORT : Cox steers Worcestershire through troubled waters
10 July 2017
A fifth wicket stand of 141 between Worcestershire's fifth wicket pair of wicketkeeper Ben Cox and George Rhodes - son of Director of Cricket Steve - ensured the Championship match at the College Ground was fascinatingly poised with two days remaining.
From a precarious 69-4, they regained some initiative in the match for the visitors either side of tea and after Rhodes (52) gave Miles his second wicket, Cox kept his concentration to make a career best 124.
A late crumble, as Noema-Barnett (4-31) nipped out three batsmen in four balls persuaded Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach to declare 83 runs behind at 300-9 and leave Gloucestershire an awkward eight overs to negotiate. At stumps, they were 20 without loss in their 2nd innings, 103 runs in front.
Listen to captain Phil Mustard's reaction to the day here :
Gloucestershire's Monday motivation - a term which has become common on social media - would have been to try and take maximum batting points for the first time this season and then take advantage in the field of the overcast conditions.
The batting equation demanded 57 runs in 14 overs, but it didn't count on David Payne playing down the wrong line to Tongue's third ball of the day. Liam Norwell announced his arrival with a text book cover drive which secured the fourth batting point, and thereafter Jack Taylor flayed the bowling for 20 minutes until, on 143, he hoisted Tongue to wide mid on and Leach ended the fun with a well judged catch.
With 383 on the board, Norwell and David Payne had plenty of credit in the bank with which to attack, and early indications were that batting was more awkward against the new ball than 24 hours earlier. Payne had already trapped Mitchell lbw for 6 before Norwell forced D'Oliveira to play and miss four times in the same over.
Fell's edge to Noema-Barnett at fourth slip was no less than Norwell deserved, and although Miles was expensive before lunch he induced an error from D'Oliveira (25) who holed out to Norwell at deep square leg. It had been Gloucestershire's morning and within three overs of the resumption Worcestershire were well on the back foot at 69-4 as Clarke (23) was bowled by Noema-Barnett without playing a shot.
By reputation, Worcestershire's cricket this season had been attractive to watch, and after a circumspect start Cox and Rhodes embelleshed it with a sensible stand and a series of compact strokes. Cox used his feet to drive more securely against Noema-Barnett, who bowled economically from the Chapel end, while Rhodes looked most comfortable punching Payne and Norwell through the covers.
Rhodes appeared the more likely to take tea with a half century to his name, but needing only a single Cox raced past him with three boundaries in an over off Will Tavare. It was a precursor for what was to follow as, having seen Rhodes complete his fifty from 118 balls with seven fours and then clip a gentle catch to Tavare off Miles, Cox went through the gears to reach his first century for two seasons, and only the third of his career. His second fifty took only 45 deliveries, and the drive off Norwell which took him to three figures was his 17th boundary in all.
Supported by Ed Barnard, another strong cover driver, fifty runs came in 11 overs until Kieran Noema-Barnett's most inflential spell of summer accounted for Cox - out for a career best 124 - Barnard (30) and Hastings within four deliveries. Worcestershire captain Joe Leach saw no benefit in facing the new ball with one wicket left and so gambled on a breakthrough in the final eight overs of the day having secured a third batting point at 300-9.
His declaration saw no profit, Gloucestershire closing at 20-0, but it maintained the pace of a match which still has a lot to offer with two days remaining.
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