Worcestershire cruise as Jake Libby hundred places guests in management
Worcestershire 406 and 316 for 8 (Libby 117, Waite 62, van Meekeren 5-73) lead Gloucestershire 301 (O Price 115, Pennington 3-39) by 421 runs
Jake Libby continued his prolific run of type to manoeuvre promotion-chasing Worcestershire right into a place of energy on day three of the LV=County Championship match in opposition to neighbours Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.
Worcestershire’s main run scorer this season, Libby posted an assured 117 to steer his facet to 316 for 8 of their second innings and engineer a commanding lead of 421 going into the ultimate day.
Skipper Brett D’Oliveira weighed in with a priceless 46 and helped add 114 for the fifth wicket with Libby, who now boasts 909 first-class runs at a mean of 56.81 this summer time, whereas Matthew Waite smashed a quickfire 62 from 32 balls. Paul van Meekeren claimed a maiden first-class five-for to no less than give Gloucestershire supporters one thing to cheer, the Dutchman taking his match haul to 9
Ollie Price had earlier accomplished an excellent career-best knock of 115, dominating a stand of 111 for the fifth wicket together with his brother, Tom, who made 46. But Joe Leach, Dillon Pennington and Adam Finch completed with three wickets apiece as Worcestershire bowled the house facet out for 301 to ascertain a first-innings lead of 105.
A declaration could be anticipated within the morning, after which Gloucestershire will very doubtless discover themselves charged with the duty of batting finest a part of three periods to avoid wasting the sport. The pitch stays basically sound, however Worcestershire discovered fast runs tougher to return by second time round and could have been inspired by the sight of Zafar Gohar extracting occasional flip in the course of the last session.
Gloucestershire did their finest to sluggish Worcestershire progress, Tom Price eradicating Gareth Roderick, van Meekeren accounting for Azhar Ali and Kashif Ali in fast succession and Zafar bowling Adam Hose for 21. But Libby and D’Oliveira took cost of the scenario, punishing something quick and huge from the seamers and progressively accelerating because the shine disappeared off the ball and the bowlers drained.
Libby clipped Ollie Price off his legs for 2 to maneuver to his third hundred of the season and the fifteenth of his profession from 154 balls, however D’Oliveira narrowly didn’t safe his second half-century of the match, chopping to backward level and changing into the third batter to fall to van Meekeren.
Libby’s 171-ball innings got here to an finish shortly afterwards, the opener pulling van Meekeren to sq. leg. But there was nonetheless time left within the day for Waite so as to add to Gloucestershire’s ache, the allrounder smiting half a dozen sixes in racing to 50 off 22 balls.
If Worcestershire have been to provide themselves a practical probability of forcing a end result, they needed to absolutely utilise the brand new ball, which was taken early within the morning session. Pennington did precisely that, claiming wickets together with his first two deliveries from the Chapel End, to successfully terminate Gloucestershire’s prospects of constructing a first-innings lead. Tom Price deflected an inside edge onto his stumps within the act of driving and was out for a 98-ball 46, Jack Taylor went for a golden duck, pinned lbw inside his crease, and Gohar then survived the hat-trick ball.
Not for the primary time this season, Gloucestershire have been indebted to Ollie Price, who continued to serve up defiance in spade-loads. His second first-class hundred, following arduous on the heels of his first at Headingley final month, occupied 245 balls and was heralded by his thirteenth 4, a sq. reduce off Leach, which introduced an enthusiastic Festival viewers to its ft.
Since graduating from Durham University earlier this summer time, the younger Academy product has scored 420 runs at a mean of 84 and established himself as a dependable fixture within the prime order. Here, he held sway for nearly six hours in a marathon innings which was unexpectedly terminated when he drove Waite to quick mid-on with the rating on 267.
Once Gloucestershire’s centurion was again within the dressing room, the tail unravelled rapidly, Finch taking three wickets in eight balls from the Chapel End to wrap-up the innings within the last over earlier than lunch.
Having contributed 4 runs from 67 balls in a stand of 31 for the seventh wicket with Price, Gohar went on the assault and superior to twenty earlier than falling to a sensible catch by Josh Baker at foolish mid-on. Van Meekeren was bowled with out providing a shot and Matt Taylor hooked Finch for six over sq. leg to lift 300 and financial institution a second batting bonus level earlier than succumbing to the following ball, held at quick third man by Roderick.
Gloucestershire added simply 89 runs to their in a single day rating, Worcestershire taking the six wickets they wanted in 34.2 overs.