Nottinghamshire seconds had a long day in the field before eventually bowling out opponents Worcestershire on the first day of their latest championship match.
Worcestershire won the toss and chose to bat, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Fell opening, and they reached 50 without loss in the 14th over. However, Ben Phillips got in on the act and removed Kohler-Cadmore for 30 and Michael Johnson without scoring to reduce the score to 54-2.
Fell was unmoved and by lunch he and Joe Clarke had put on 58, the score 112-2, Fell having reached his fifty just before.
Another two quick wickets undid their good as Fell failed to add to his 52 after lunch, as he was bowled by George Bacon in the first over after lunch. Clarke was the next to fall on 21 as Bacon had him caught in the slips by Ben Kitt with the score only having reached 115-4 post lunch.
When the fifth wicket fell, that of Brett D’Oliveira for 18, the score was 148-5 and the visitors were in danger of a collapse.
A stand of 80 between Martin Weightman and Alex Hepburn put to bed any worry of that and shepherded their side towards tea. They couldn’t quite make it though as Hepburn fell for 46 to the bowling of Adam Tillcock as the score at tea read 232-6.
Weightman continued on after tea and reached his 50 before perishing in the same over to hand Bacon his third wicket.
Ten overs passed before the next wicket fell but Kitt took two wickets in two balls to renew hope of bowling the visitors out for under 300. However, Darryl Williams was joined by last man Chris Rhodes took the score to 331 before Tillcock got his second, Matt Cross stumping Rhodes for 24.
Williams finished on 34 with the pick of the home bowlers being Bacon and Kitt with 3-44 and 3-49 respectively.
That left the Notts opening pair with a nervy seven overs towards the close of play but they were well negotiated by Hassan Azad and captain Sam Kelsall.
The score ended on 15 without loss, Azad 8 not out and Kelsall 7 not out with Notts starting the second day 316 runs behind.