Worcestershire fightback after destructive bowling from Gloucestershire
29 May 2016
Tom Kohler-Cadmore continued a remarkable run of scores at New Road as Worcestershire escaped from a dire position on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two fixture at New Road.
In leading a beleaguered side from 34 for five to 341 for eight, the 21-year-old batsman made 153 not out, his fourth century in his last five innings on his home ground for an aggregate of 580 with only two dismissals.
Until Kohler-Cadmore went to work, in particular peppering the mid-wicket boundary for many of his 23 fours from 262 balls, Gloucestershire were celebrating their decision to bowl first on a dry, greenish pitch.
David Payne was the spearhead, exploiting swing and seam movement with three for 11 in seven overs. There were also wickets for Liam Norwell, on his return after a month’s lay-off, and Josh Shaw before Ben Cox, with 75 from 108 balls, turned things round in a partnership of 155 with Kohler-Cadmore.
Apart from a difficult caught-and-bowled chance to Norwell on 52, wicketkeeper Cox looked comfortable in making the highest of his seven fifties since he scored 109 against Somerset in May last year.
When he was dislodged by Craig Miles, giving Chris Dent his third catch in the innings at second slip, Worcestershire briefly faltered as Joe Leach also fell to Miles, slicing to point with the total on 205 for seven.
However, Kohler-Cadmore powered on to a new career-best mark with an edged boundary off Jack Taylor, and in Ed Barnard he found another strong partner in putting on 92 in 27 overs. The former England Under-19 all-rounder played well for 50 from 80 balls, a maiden first-class half-century, before he was lbw to Norwell.
Jack Shantry, unbeaten with 26, then added to Gloucestershire’s frustration on a day that had begun so well. Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell was lbw to Payne from the third ball of the match and Clarke edged Norwell to Dent in the second over.
Alexei Kervezee was also snapped up by Dent - a second success for Payne – and in his next over the left-arm seamer had Brett D’Oliveira leg-before. When Shaw bowled Ross Whiteley with his fourth ball, half the side had gone in 11 overs in the first hour.
Gloucestershire’s head coach, Richard Dawson, said: “At 34 for five you are hoping to bowl them out but to be fair it was a hell of an innings from Kohler-Cadmore.
“We made him work for his runs at the start but it was a tremendous innings, and Cox as well. Ed Barnard then chipped in with some good cricket and they put the pressure back on us. The ball went pretty soft, so obviously with the sun out, it was hard work. But I can’t fault the effort.”
