There were just 22 overs of play on Sunday as relegation-haunted Somerset and Worcestershire brooded in the pavilion. With lots more rain forecast for Monday this match is heading for a soggy draw.
That result would suit Somerset more than Worcestershire. They have a game in hand over the other three teams threatened with the drop – Hampshire and Sussex are also in the dogfight. Somerset have also taken more bonus points from this game than Worcestershire, six to one.
There was no play until 3.30pm and then it lasted for just an hour. But in that 14.4 overs Worcestershire went on the attack, blasting 91 runs without further loss.
They had resumed on 44 for four in reply to Somerset’s 565 for five declared, with both Ross Whiteley and Ben Cox on eight. The left-handed Whiteley was particularly aggressive, taking his score to 61, while Cox was on 39 when they came off for tea at 135 for four.
The bowling from Somerset was very tame but Whiteley’s driving was immense, though it was a pulled six off Lewis Gregory which brought him his 50. There were also 10 fours and he had faced 68 deliveries.
As they came off for tea more dark clouds had gathered and some of the groundstaff thought that play might be over for the day. It was, almost.
Further attempts to get back were frustrated by bad light and more rain until, at last, at 6.10pm, they returned for another 7.2 overs, in which time Worcestershire advanced their score to 172 for four, with Whiteley on 78 and Cox on 52. Cox reached his fifty with a pleasing four through the covers off Lewis Gregory. There were nine fours and a six and he had faced 58 balls. We did not get much during the day but what we did all came from Worcestershire, as they added 128 at almost a run a ball.
