Worcestershire need a win and, on the first three days’ evidence against Middlesex, deserve one. They haven’t a Division One win away since Old Trafford in July 2012, when Moeen Ali took six for 29 to bamboozle Lancashire. On Tuesday, he was largely a spectator, enjoying a net as his colleagues batted, and was afforded just five overs when it was their turn to bowl. On a wearing pitch, he – and England, certainly – will hope he has a major role to play yet.
Tom Fell’s highest first-class score is the bedrock of their position of strength. When Alex Gidman left a straight delivery with the overnight score not troubled, Worcestershire could have imploded, but Fell – who rode being peppered with short deliveries – prevented collapse. Fell was outstanding through point and midwicket, and wasn’t afraid to take the short barrage on, even if he did eventually hook to deep square-leg, two balls after clearing him handsomely.
Besides a brief cameo from youngster Joe Clarke it was the tail that did the rest of the damage. Jack Shantry planted the luckless Toby Roland-Jones for consecutive sixes, while Saeed Ajmal hustled.
Middlesex’s second innings fell into four blocks: two long periods of resistance and two funny five-minute spells. Inconveniently, the first funky patch began the innings. Sam Robson, on a king pair, was shielded from Charlie Morris’s first five deliveries by Nick Gubbins, before doing brilliantly to avoid the sixth, a stunning delivery that whistled past the outside edge, slapping Ben Cox’s gloves as the cordon whooped.
Then Gubbins, on three, played outside off in Joe Leach’s first over and Fell, at third slip, stuck out his right hand to produce the sharpest of catches. Gubbins – who knew it to be a bump ball – stood his ground. With Worcestershire tails up, words were exchanged. “As a batter,” said Fell, “I’d say the benefit of the doubt should go to him. But as a fielder, I wanted the catch, it’s probably the best I’ve ever taken.”
Regardless, Robson prodded at the next delivery he faced and that Worcester whoop had reason. A pair for Robson, if not quite regal. Finally, and perhaps strangest of all, Compton pushed his first ball to leg for two, only to be rewarded with four extra. It made for an incongruous sight on the scorecard, at least.
Gubbins and Compton built patiently for 21 overs, the latter driving Leach nonchalantly down the ground off the back foot. Then from nowhere, Ajmal brought back the magic to end a run of 38 wicketless Championship overs. Bowling around the wicket, it pitched on middle stump, only to spit past the outside edge and remove left-hander Gubbins’s off-bail. The whoop returned and Ajmal bounded down, offering high-fives to all and sundry. Before Gubbins – or indeed the crowd - had worked out exactly what had happened, Compton was on his way too, carelessly wafting at an outswinger from Shantry, who bowled 11 probing overs either side of tea.
Calm returned thereafter as Joe Burns – who drove Ajmal handsomely for six – and Paul Stirling reined their offensive instincts in to begin building a lead. Alarms were seldom and chances scant, setting up an intriguing final day. If Worcestershire are to get what they deserve, they must pounce early.
