Richardson seals commanding victory

Worcestershire 308 and 277 for 9 beat Leicestershire 181 and 231 by 173 runs
Scorecard

Worcestershire's veteran seamer Alan Richardson bowled his county to a crushing championship victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road with his second five-wicket haul in the space of nine days.

Richardson, who celebrated his 35th birthday 24 hours earlier, claimed 5 for 44 as Leicestershire collapsed to 231 all out - giving Worcestershire victory by 173 runs. It was their second championship win of the season following their relegation, while Leicestershire - who won their first two games of the season - have now lost two in a row.

Leicestershire started the final day still harbouring hopes of salvaging at least a draw having reached 107 for 1, chasing a target of 405. But they suffered an immediate setback when Will Jefferson edged an outswinger from Richardson to wicketkeeper Ben Scott without adding to his overnight score of 60.

The departure triggered a collapse which left Leicestershire reeling with four wickets falling for 16 runs in seven overs as Richardson and Richard Jones tore into the home batsmen.

Paul Nixon, who had shared a stand of 85 with Jefferson, was lbw to Jones for 45, Australian Andrew McDonald was caught at slip off the same bowler without scoring and James Taylor was then caught behind off Richardson for 3. That left Leicestershire on 124 for 5 - and any chance they had of pulling off an unlikely win had totally disappeared.

But Tom New and Jacques Du Toit at least offered some resistance to extend the game beyond the lunch interval with a sixth-wicket stand of 88. They provided some entertainment as well with both batsmen hitting sixes - New hoisting Richardson over midwicket and Du Toit top-edging Jones over third man.

The pair raced to a 50 stand but the lunch interval clearly affected their concentration and New was out in the first over after the break, lbw to Richardson. Du Toit reached his half-century off 78 balls but when he drove a catch to cover off Richardson the end was in sight and Leicestershire - with Wayne White unable to bat because of a broken finger - were all out for 231.

Richardson's five-wicket haul in 25 overs followed the five wickets he claimed last week against Glamorgan and brings his tally of wickets for the season to 20.

Worcestershire took 22 points from the match and Leicestershire three.