Mitchell reaches hundred on rain-wrecked day

Worcestershire 195 for 3 (Mitchell 102*, Fell 66) trail Northamptonshire 551 (Keogh 154, Crook 145, Barrett 114*) by 356 runs
Scorecard

Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell scored his first Specsavers County Championship hundred for 13 months on a drastically curtailed third day against Northamptonshire at New Road.

The 32-year-old, who is in his benefit year with the County, went to his century off 164 balls with 16 boundaries to end a lean run of form. He now needs only another 28 runs to complete 10,000 runs in his career in first-class cricket.

However, only 17.2 overs were possible in the day as Worcestershire added 42 runs for the loss of two wickets in reaching 195 for 3 - still 356 in arrears.

With leaders Essex winning against Leicestershire at Grace Road, Worcestershire have to win to retain their slim hopes of promotion although it remains to be seen whether the two sides will collude tomorrow to try and force a positive result.

Worcestershire resumed on 153 for 1 from 40 overs but added only seven more runs before Ben Sanderson accounted for Tom Fell (66) who was caught behind. His stand with Mitchell had been worth 152 in 42 overs.

Mitchell, who had been on 86 overnight, reached three figures with an edge for four through the slips off Sanderson. It was his first three-figure score since a double hundred against Hampshire at New Road in July 2015.

Play was halted after 12.3 overs and there was then a four-hour delay before the players returned for two brief interludes.

In the first of those Joe Clarke (6) played a loose shot at yesterday's debutant century-maker Chad Barrett and was caught by Ben Duckett at first slip.

When umpires Steve Gale and Graham Lloyd called off play for the day at 5.35pm, Mitchell was unbeaten on 102.