Batty sends Pears top

Off-spinner sets up 10-wicket victory for Worcestershire

Last updated: 24th July 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Batty sends Pears top

Batty: devastating spell

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LV County Championship - Division Two
Lord's
Middlesex 300 (S D Udal 91, Kabir Ali 5-58) & 164 (B J M Scott 58, D J Malan 52, G J Batty 5-33) v Worcestershire 361 (B F Smith 93) & 105-0 (S C Moore 55 no)
Worcestershire (21pts) beat Middlesex (6pts) by 10 wkts

Worcestershire moved top of LV County Championship Division Two with a 10-wicket triumph over Middlesex at Lord's.

The Pears claimed a first-innings lead of 61 before a superb bowling performance saw Middlesex shot out for 164 in their second innings.

Kabir Ali's (2-33) opening burst helped reduce the hosts to 24-4 before a 113-run fifth-wicket stand between Dawid Malan (52) and Ben Scott (58) briefly revived the innings.

But former England off-spinner Gareth Batty (5-33) ripped out five of the last six wickets as Middlesex crashed from 137-4 to 164 all out.

That left Worcestershire a target of 104, which opening pair Daryl Mitchell (48no) and Stephen Moore (55no) knocked off in 17 overs.

Vikram Solanki's men earn 21 points and move one point above Warwickshire at the top of the Division Two standings, having played a game more.

Day Two

Ben Smith once again just missed out on a century but his innings of 93 still helped Worcestershire gain a first innings lead at Lord's.

After scoring 99 in the LV County Championship win over Glamorgan last week, former Leicestershire right-hander Smith this time fell seven runs short of his first ton in two years.

His 179-ball innings was the mainstay of the visitors' efforts with the bat on day two as they closed on 350-9, giving them a useful advantage of 50.

Daryl Mitchell and Stephen Moore shared an opening partnership of 50 before Worcestershire's middle order collapsed, going from 74-1 to 189-5.

However, the lower order rescued the situation alongside Smith, Gareth Batty scoring 39 before being run out attempting a risky single to backward point.

Gareth Andrew, who was on 39 not out at the end of play, put on a 50-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Michael Mason (25) to put the Pears in front.

Day One

A well-crafted 91 from Shaun Udal saw Middlesex wrack up 300 in the first innings of their LV County Championship Division Two clash with promotion rivals Worcestershire at Lord's.

A superb partnership of 105 between Udal and Tim Murtagh (44) rescued the hosts from a precariously poised at 147-6 after skipper Ed Joyce had won the toss and elected to bat.

Pace bowler Kabir Ali dismissed dangerous opener Dawid Malan (12), Owais Shah (1) and eventually claimed the prize scalp of Udal on his way to fine figures of 5-58.

Murtagh's invaluable contribution was brought to an end by Gareth Batty for the seventh wicket, and just as Udal looked set for only his second ever first-class century he edged behind an agonising nine runs short.

Worcestershire openers Daryl Mitchell (3no) and Stephen Moore (6no) survived a tricky five over spell before stumps and will look to build on their steady start when they resume to the middle on day two.

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