Debutant McGarry worries Worcester

Paul Pollard and a determined innings by David Leatherdale took Second Division front-runners Worcestershire to 232-7 in their championship match against Essex at Chelmsford. They came together at 75-3 and shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 117n in 49 overs.

Pollard followed his two half-centuries in the previous game by making 77, his best score for Worcestershire since coming to them from Nottinghamshire two years ago. He was at the crease for 255 balls in 315 minutes before falling to 18 year-old fast bowler Andrew McGarry in his first championship match. Leatherdale was equally adamant in scoring 62 with five fours and a six. McGarry had a happy debut - he had been brought into the team only because Ashley Cowan and Ricaldo Anderson were injured - in bowling 16 overs for just 29 runs. His first seven overs cost 11 runs during the course of which he had Philip Weston caught and in his third dismissed Ryan Driver, and concluded by having Pollard l.b.w.

"It was a superb effort by the lad'' said Geoff Arnold, the Essex bowling coach. "He put the ball in the right areas and got his reward. Obviously he has got the ability to make a name for himself in the game, but it is up to him to work hard and make the best of it."