Match Drawn

Day Three On a soulless, dank, cold and miserable day, Notts manoeuvred themselves into a strong position with a lead of 174 runs with eight wickets still standing going to the final day. However with extremely wet forecast and the Severn all but bursting its banks as I left the ground chances of any play today seem remote in the extreme. Worcester resumed on 72 for 6 as play was held up for 30 minutes due to a light shower. The wicket was a slow low seamer with the wicket pitched near the pavilion. The ropes had been pushed in considerably, put the outfield was green, damp and lush, the ball was hardly moving in places particularly near what was the Severn Bar. Worcester needed 22 to avoid the follow on and put the game the bed, they inched their way to target whilst facing accurate bowling from Phillips (New Road end) an Adams (Diglis End). With the follow on avoided Gurney replaced Phillips and got a ball to move away from the left hander Cameron, Read catching the edge. Cameron out for 25,105 for seven. In his next over, Gurney had Lucas plumb leg before, 111 for eight. Worcestershire went to lunch on 120 for eight. On the restart Adams replaced the disappointing and trundling Fletch, young all-rounder Kapil was batting well and responsibly and with Jones going for his shots the pair added 24 until Adams picked up his fifth wicket when Kapil was leg before for an innings high 41. Jones pulled left armer Gurney for a six but the bowler got his revenge when Jones top edged him to Adams at third man who took the catch low down., Worcester were 86 runs in arrears on 157 all out with Adams the stand out with 22-5-62-5 and he was well supported by Gurney 14.5-2-40-4. Gurney although brisk is not as fast as Carter but appears to be more accurate and thinks more about what he is doing. The top temperature for the day was just 10 degrees C with a strong northerly wind taking the edge off the temperature. The expected 1500 stampede for afternoon cakes appeared never to materialize. There was a brief shower between the innings as the dank skies get even darker. The crowd was sparse and a lot of more elderly spectators were either under cover in the New Road stand or watching from the Graeme Hick pavilion. Richardson with no doubt one eye on the weather forecast elected to stay in the pavilion with a slight strain as Lucas and Jones opened the bowling. Hales and Edwards added 23, until the former dropped from the Lions played a poor shot chipping Jones straight to Cameron who took the catch at his ankles at mid-wickets. Edwards was then badly dropped by Pears Captain Mitchell at second slip whilst on nine, Lucas bowling from the New Road end being the unlucky bowler.  Lumb and Edwards added 45 for the second wicket as play was stopped a couple of times for tea and bad light. The umpires Cook and Gough should take great credit for attempting to keep the game moving despite the inclement weather. Lumb was somewhat unlucky to be given out leg before for 16. Patel joined Edwards who pulled Jones for six. But with the Cornishman on the verge of one of his finest hours the dark clouds returned as play was suspended terminally with Edwards one short of half century as the stumps were pulled out with Notts 88 for two. Day Four Result Match Drawn, no play on the last day due to rain. REMOVED PHOTOS CAN NOW BE FOUND ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED FACEBOOK