Worcestershire secured two crucial wickets late in the day, capitalizing on Hampshire’s strong start during a rain-shortened opening day of their County Championship match at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
Hampshire, aiming for their first championship win since mid-May, concluded the day at 146 for two. They had built a solid 127-run opening partnership before losing both openers, Fletcha Middleston (79 runs off 101 balls) and Joe Weatherley (62 runs off 130 balls), in rapid succession amidst deteriorating light.
These late breakthroughs were vital for Worcestershire, who currently sit at the bottom of Division One and desperately need a victory to keep their slim survival hopes alive.
following a delayed start due to a wet outfield, Worcestershire opted to bowl first. However, the anticipated assistance for their seamers did not materialize. Pakistan’s Khurram Shahzad proved expensive as Weatherley and Middleton quickly put 50 runs on the board within the first 14 overs.
The hampshire openers, both from Winchester, appeared untroubled by a Worcestershire attack still reeling from a narrow defeat to rivals Warwickshire the previous week. worcestershire had dominated the first half of that match at Edgbaston, only to suffer a crushing loss when Warwickshire successfully chased 393 on the final day.
Returning to home turf, Worcestershire’s bowling unit, bolstered by Matthew Waite‘s return from paternity leave (replacing Sussex loanee Bertie Foreman), again struggled to make an impact. Middleton reached his half-century from 51 balls, followed by Weatherley reaching his milestone from 103 balls.
The openers were anticipating a productive evening session, but rain returned during the tea interval, delaying play until a late resumption at 6 p.m.
Wiht little to gain and much to lose, Hampshire’s openers faced challenging conditions. Worcestershire seized the opportunity in the murky,damp atmosphere. Middleton edged a delivery from Tom Taylor to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick, who took a sharp catch in front of first slip.Weatherley followed suit, edging Ben Allison’s ball to Ethan Brookes at second slip.
While these wickets were an unfortunate end to an or else excellent day for Hampshire, they have established a strong foundation. This platform positions them to push for a victory that would lift them out of the relegation zone, effectively sealing Worcestershire’s fate at the bottom of the table.
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