Cullen leads late Pears rally against Northants
A day of mixed elements at New Road ended in glorious sunshine - but also with cloud cover
- Published
Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, New Road, Worcester (day one)
Worcestershire 200: Cullen 64, Libby 55, Hose 45; Procter 5-63
Northamptonshire 16-0 (8 overs)
Northants 3 pts, Worcestershire 0 pts
Northamptonshire skipper Luke Procter took 5-63 to help his promotion-chasing side bowl out Worcestershire for 200, but not before the hosts were bolstered by a late-order maiden half-century from Henry Cullen.
The young wicketkeeper made 64 following Jake Libby's earlier half-century (55), while Adam Hose (45) was the only other man in double figures.
Supported by Harry Conway (2-38), Procter led from the front as the Pears middle order slumped from 103-2 to 150-9, before Cullen's late counter-offensive.
Northants openers Ricardo Vasconcelos and Procter, who was struck a painful blow amidships, then negotiated a tricky eight-over spell late in the day to close on 16-0.
Henry Cullen's maiden half-century came in only his fifth County Championship match
Having won the toss and elected to bowl first, Ben Sanderson struck the first blow on an overcast morning at New Road by trapping Dan Lategan lbw just two balls in.
That became 20-2 as Procter clattered Rehaan Edavalath's off-stump with his first ball.
Libby and Hose then dug in until lunch on 56-2. But the Pears vice-captain's fourth County Championship Division Two half-century of 2026 was ended by Procter.
Home skipper Brett D'Oliveira was handed a lifeline, put down at second slip, only to be snared at third slip by Procter in his next over.
Unperturbed by an injury to wicketkeeper Lewis McManus, Vasconcelos took the gloves and, shortly after play resumed, spinner Calvin Harrison claimed the key wicket of Hose, who found the slip cordon.
Australian seamer Conway then struck after tea when he nipped one back through the gate to bowl Matthew Waite before Procter returned to castle Tom Taylor with a hooping inswinger.
Conway bounced out Ben Allison, before Procter completed his first five-fer of the season with the wicket of Usama Mir.
Cullen and last man Adam Finch (5*) then rallied with a last-wicket stand of 50. And, although Northants went off after one over for bad light, a lively exchange between home skipper D'Oliveira and umpires Neil Pratt and James Tredwell brought them back out in perfect light for a further seven overs, to the wincing Procter's private cost.
ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay.
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- Published28 August
