Skipper Procter leads from the front as Northants enjoy strong day one at Worcester

Jake Libby’s half-century helped Worcestershire recover from 20 for two, but Procter led from the front to rip through the Pears middle order.

Supported by Harry Conway (2-20), the Northants seam attack reduced the Pears from 103 for two to 150 for nine, with Henry Cullen’s late counter-offensive of 64 providing some resistance.

Northants openers Ricardo Vasconcelos and Procter then negotiated a tricky eight over spell late in the day to close 16 without loss, set to resume day two 184 runs behind with all ten wickets in hand.

Having won the toss and elected to bowl first, it was Ben Sanderson who struck the first blow on an overcast morning at New Road by trapping Dan Lategan lbw just two balls into the contest.

Procter asserted the Northants dominance by clattering Rehaan Edavalath’s off-stump with the first ball of his spell, as the Pears were reduced to 20 for two in a clinical first hour from the promotion chasing visitors.

Libby and Adam Hose dug in to see the hosts through to lunch otherwise unscathed at 56 for two.

It was the opener who took the lead role as the afternoon session went on, playing a typically patient knock as the vice-captain made his way to a fourth County Championship half-century of the season.

A circumspect third-wicket stand saw the mid-table side past 100, but the partnership was ended by Procter just an over later when he pinned Libby lbw for 55.

Brett D’Oliveira was handed a lifeline on one when he was put down at second slip by Calvin Harrison, but Procter snared the Pears captain in his next over when Louis Kimber held onto a sharp chance at third slip as the visitors regained control.

An injury to wicket keeper Lewis McManus saw Vasconcelos take the gloves for the away side, and shortly after play resumed, spinner Harrison claimed the key wicket of Hose, whose dogged 45 from 103 balls was curtailed by another clean take by Kimber in the cordon.

Just 13 runs were added after the interval for Worcestershire before Australian seamer Conway clipped the wings of Matthew Waite for three when he nipped one back through the gate to reduce the hosts to 135 for six.

Procter returned to claim a fourth as he castled Tom Taylor for eight with a hooping inswinger, before Conway bounced out Ben Allison, teeing up teammate Procter to seal a superb first fifer of the season with the wicket of Usama Mir.

Cullen rallied late on, punching a maiden first-class half-century in a vital 10th wicket stand of fifty with tailender Adam Finch, before the innings was curtailed on 200.

Despite a momentary delay for bad light, Ricardo Vasconcelos (13no) and Procter (3no) batted through the final half hour of the day to see the visitors through to the close unscathed.

Reaction

Northants head coach Darren Lehmann: “Not a bad day for us, they are a quality bowling unit so to get a chance to reflect on what happened last week and hit back late tonight was good.

“I thought Cullen, for a young keeper-batter, played really well for them in that last wicket stand.

“On the whole, we had a good day, just the one blemish with Calvin’s drop, but I thought we bowled really well and hit back well from Saturday.

“Luke bowled beautifully, he pitched it up and swung it about a bit, bowled with nice pace and got his rewards on a typical Worcester wicket that didn’t have oodles of pace.”

Worcestershire’s Henry Cullen: “We were a bit disappointed to be below par with the bat. They had a good toss to win and credit to their bowlers who bowled really well throughout the day.

“Libs and Hosey put on a really important strong partnership and set us up, but their bowlers didn’t give us loads to score from and it was doing a bit.

“I enjoyed batting with Finchy, he helped me a lot and calmed me down, at that point from 150 for nine we would have taken any run that was given to us to be fair.

“We had a little go at them but will dust ourselves off and go again in the morning fully charged.”