Trio help Worcestershire edge honours

Leicestershire 9 for 0 v Worcestershire308
Scorecard

Half centuries from Moeen Ali, Daryl Mitchell and Gareth Andrew helped Worcestershire edge the honours on the first day of their County Championship game against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

Moeen and Mitchell shared a third-wicket stand of 145 to lead the fightback after Worcestershire slumped to 15 for 2 and some late order resistance saw them through to a total of 308. Leicestershire captain Matthew Hoggard claimed 3 for 69 and 19-year-old Nathan Buck 3 for 64 and the home side then survived two awkward overs to reach stumps on 9 without loss.

There was a degree of surprise when Worcestershire captain Vikram Solanki batted first on a green-looking pitch after winning the toss. And when two wickets fell - including Solanki's - for 15 runs in the first six overs the decision was looking even more questionable.

But Solanki, who popped an easy catch off Hoggard, was able to breath much easier after the partnership between Mitchell and Moeen had launched the recovery. The third wicket pair rode their luck at times but also profited from some erratic bowling from the home attack who failed to make the most of the conditions.

Moeen was severe on anything loose and raced to 50 by hitting left-arm spinner Claude Henderson for 18 off one over. He struck a six and three fours to reach a half century from 60 balls. Mitchell was more circumspect but he too reached 50 off 93 balls shortly after lunch.

But the partnership was broken by Hoggard who trapped Moeen lbw as he tried to work the ball on the leg side after making 80 off 127 balls. His departure triggered a middle-order collapse as Leicestershire regained the initiative. Hoggard snapped up his third wicket by trapping Mitchell lbw, Ben Smith was out in the same fashion to Henderson and Ben Scott edged Andrew McDonald to wicketkeeper Tom New.

It meant four wickets had fallen for 39 runs with Hoggard taking 2 for 16 in an impressive nine-over spell. But a fluctuating day swung back in Worcestershire's favour as Alexei Kervezee and Andrew led another recovery with a stand of 51.

It needed a magnificent one-handed slip catch by Will Jefferson to remove Kervezee off the bowling of McDonald with the total at 250. Andrew, however, reached his half century with a six off Hoggard before carving a catch to point. Last man Jack Shantry ended a run of four consecutive ducks with a boundary off Hoggard but then fell lbw to Wayne White at 308.