Ed Barnard restates allround potential to lift Worcestershire's prospects
Derbyshire lose three wickets after rain delay to face uphill task over weekend
ECB Reporters Network
28-May-2021
Ed Barnard enhanced his allround credentials with a well-crafted 90 • Getty Images
Derbyshire 91 for 3 trail Worcestershire 421 (Haynes 97, Barnard 90, D'Oliveira 71) by 330 runs
Ed Barnard demonstrated more excellent form with the bat before the Worcestershire bowlers made inroads on day two of the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Derbyshire at New Road.
The all-rounder is keen to bat higher than No.8 and further strengthened his claims with a fine knock of 90 to take his run tally for the County this summer past the 400 mark.
It is a figure only surpassed for Worcestershire by Jake Libby with Barnard having now put together a maiden century and three fifty-plus innings in scoring 414 runs at an average of 51.75.
His efforts helped Worcestershire total 421 all out and then Dillon Pennington, Joe Leach and Barnard picked up a wicket apiece as Derbyshire ended on 91 for 3.
Barnard successfully shepherded the lower order this morning as Worcestershire, who resumed on 336 for 7, added another 85 runs from the final three wickets to secure a fourth batting bonus point.
Barnard looked set for a deserved hundred until he cut a delivery from spinner Matt Critchley into the hands of Ben McDermott at backward point.
The England Lions player resumed on 48 and turned Ben Aitchison on the legside to complete a 64 ball half-century with seven boundaries.
He then pulled Sam Conners for four to bring up the 350 - and the fourth batting point - in 102.5 overs.
Alzarri Joseph (12) helped Barnard add 28 before he was caught at mid-off by Billy Godleman off Dustin Melton who then bowled Leach (5) via an inside edge.
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But Pennington proved a valuable ally in helping Barnard to add 45 for the last wicket and the paceman struck Critchley for a big six over wide long on.
He remained unbeaten on 24 until Barnard's eventually dismissal after hitting 12 fours in his 120-ball knock. Melton ended with 3 for 76 and there were two wickets apiece for Conners and Aitchinson.
Derbyshire openers Godleman and Brooke Guest were due to face one over before lunch but rain intervened and only eight balls were possible in a brief interlude during a four-hour break from action.
Play eventually restarted at 4.55pm with 29.4 overs remaining and Pennington made a quick breakthrough when Godleman on 10 edged to Tom Fell at first slip.
Leach then struck as Guest turned a delivery off his legs and Ross Whiteley pulled off a superb catch at square leg to end his knock on 20.
It became 58 for 3 when Barnard trapped Leus du Plooy (7) lbw but Australian debutant, Ben McDermott, and Wayne Madsen steadied the innings by adding an unbroken 33.