When Chris Jordan speaks, the words fall effortlessly out of his mouth: that Bajan twang allowing them to linger in the air like a feather dropping to the ground. But when he bowls, the effort is all too evident.
The ball is placed purposefully in a vice-like grip that locks his wrist into place. He turns at the bottom of a runup that has been reduced from an excessive 25 strides before a stuttered jog to the front line. When his rhythm is off, he can look like a next generation prototype at a Japanese robotics convention. On Tuesday he looked close to the finished article, taking five for 57 on day one of this Division One relegation clash.
Worcestershire started the match in the second relegation spot (eighth), trailing Sussex by four points, who themselves are eight points behind Somerset.
This “48-pointer” is being played on the same New Road pitch used for Worcestershire’s T20 Blast quarter-final against Hampshire and the Royal London Cup fixture with Leicestershire two weeks ago. Believing the pitch will get worse, Worcestershire won the toss and batted. Yet Jordan, on a slow, mosaic-like surface, found pace and seam movement to uproot three off stumps on his way to a first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket since five for 76 against Somerset in April 2014.
Sussex’s woes this season have ultimately stemmed from a depleted bowling attack that has been strengthened by Jordan’s return from a two-month lay-off caused by a side injury. Chris Nash, captaining in place of Ed Joyce, who was ruled out with an injured back an hour before play, had the luxury of two senior bowlers in Jordan and Steve Magoffin to regulate matters in the field.
With only 13 on the board in the eighth over, Jordan had the hosts two down: Daryl Mitchell had offered Michael Yardy a catch at second slip which he palmed off to Nash at first and Tom Fell was bowled by one that straightened on him.
So began a rebuilding effort between Brett D’Oliveira and Joe Clarke. D’Oliveira, who has used time in the middle for the club’s 2nd XI to fashion himself into an opener, played straight and narrow while Clarke punched crisply down the ground.
However, after taking things through to lunch, both fell in quick succession – Clarke beaten by Jordan and D’Oliveira gloving Magoffin down the leg side – at the start of a collapse from 93 for two to 117 for seven in the space of 44 balls. Lower-order boundaries from Jack Shantry and Saeed Ajmal give Worcestershire a stab at a batting point.
After 70 overs the rains came and ensured Worcestershire will bat into day two, starting on 185 for nine. Alex Gidman will resume on 37 with the No11, Charlie Morris, for company. While there is more rain scheduled for Wednesday evening, Sussex are not planning on letting outside influences distract them from building on the first day’s performance.
