Worcestershire 316 for 7 (Kashif 110, Roderick 68) vs Warwickshire
Warwickshire captain Alex Davies selected to bowl in his first recreation in cost however with out Hasan Ali, whose arrival as abroad participant has been delayed by a Pakistan coaching camp, and the injured Liam Norwell, his bowling assault lacked penetration on a very good batting pitch.
Kashif took benefit in composed style. Having ended the 2023 season with a career-best 93 towards Yorkshire, he launched 2024 in equally assured style to reap a richly-deserved maiden ton.
Warwickshire’s bowlers hoped to use early moisture within the pitch however barely a ball deviated off the straight throughout a morning session by which the one wicket fell to an extended hop.
Roderick flicked the primary ball of the season to the midwicket boundary and, with Jake Libby, put 50 on the board in 12 overs as Olly Hannon-Dalby and Chris Rushworth discovered rhythm elusive within the sturdy wind. Hannon-Dalby and Rushworth between them took 51% of Warwickshire’s Championship wickets final season however received little previous the broad bats of the openers.
Libby made an assured 38 earlier than departing in ire at gifting his wicket. He top-edged a pull to deep midwicket the place Danny Briggs took a effective low catch to offer debutant Michael Sales space his maiden first-class wicket. Sales space, who has emulated the nice Bob Wyatt in making his debut in a Warwickshire-Worcestershire season-opener at Edgbaston, now sits simply 900 firstclass wickets behind the previous Bears and Pears skipper.
Whereas Roderick settled into the anchor function, Kashif batted fluently to attain 39 of the primary 50 added by the second-wicket pair. Roderick reached his half-century from 112 balls and Kashif adopted to his from 92, then celebrated by hoisting Sales space into the Household Stand for six.
As Warwickshire went on the defensive, the second-wicket pair added 103 in 40 overs. Medium-pacers Ed Barnard and Will Rhodes made the batters work hardest for his or her runs and it was Rhodes who broke via when he prised some bounce from the pitch and Roderick edged to Rob Yates at slip.
Rob Jones, taking part in his first championship match for Worcestershire, settled in calmly so as to add 55 in 19 overs with Kashif. Jones then tickled a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess off Briggs and Adam Hose quickly edged Barnard to slide.
Warwickshire’s bowlers had toiled on the placid floor however they saved going and had been rewarded with two wickets with the second new ball. Kashif lifted Hannon-Dalby to cowl and when Brett D’Oliviera edged Rushworth behind, the primary six wickets had fallen to completely different bowlers.
Matthew Waite’s lusty 37 from 42 balls restored Worcestershire’s momentum and although he edged the spectacular Rhodes behind simply earlier than the shut, with abroad allrounders Jason Holder and Nathan Smith making their debuts, Worcestershire have constructed a platform of promise on this match.
