| Vitality County Championship Division One, Edgbaston (day three) |
| Worcestershire 360: Kashif Ali 110 & 237-2: Kashif Ali 133, Libby 75* |
| Warwickshire 333: Barnard 89, Rhodes 64, Mousley 62; Smith 3-49, Finch 3-56 |
| Worcestershire (6 pts) lead Warwickshire (5 pts) by 264 runs with eight second-innings wickets left |
Kashif Ali made his second century of the match as Worcestershire built a potentially match-winning lead against Warwickshire.
But the bad weather that has remarkably steered clear of Edgbaston for the best part of three days finally arrived early on in the third session.
And, with more bad weather forecast for the final day, a draw still looks the most likely result.
The Bears looked in decent shape on Saturday evening, trailing the Pears by 68 runs at the close, with five wickets still intact.
But, with the new ball, under the Edgbaston lights, and labouring against a strong cross wind, the Pears hit back well to take those last five wickets for just 41 runs.
Half-centurion Dan Mousley clipped Joe Leach to short midwicket on 62, then winter signing Nathan Smith struck twice in quick succession, as he bowled Michael Burgess then earned an LBW decision against the Bears’ other first-class debutant Michael Booth.
- Ed Barnard helps give Bears the edge against Pears
- Worcestershire batters enjoy first day at Edgbaston
- Bears, Pears, rain, more rain and some cricket?
Hopes of reaching a third batting point ended when Adam Finch’s first ball of the day induced an edge from Danny Briggs to slip Jason Holder.
Holder then struck himself to end the innings in the next over when he bounced out Chris Rushworth, caught off the splice of the bat by advancing keeper Gareth Roderick, who took a fine catch low down at full length.
Roderick did not last long, as Rushworth earned a quick revenge, having him caught off a little nick down the leg side to keeper Burgess.
But, after that, it was all sweat and toil as Kashif was joined by Jake Libby in a 200-run second-wicket stand.
Having made his maiden century in the first innings, in his 15th first-class knock, his second was a lot quicker as he flayed five sixes and 16 fours – a stunning knock from a player who only joined the Pears two summers ago on a trial contract from the increasingly renowned Birmingham-based South Asian Cricket Academy.
