<
>

Ed Barnard restates allround potential to lift Worcestershire's prospects

Ed Barnard bats for Worcestershire Getty Images

Derbyshire 91 for 3 trail Worcestershire 421 (Haynes 97, Barnard 90, D'Oliveira 71) by 330 runs

Ed Barnard demonstrated more excellent form with the bat before the Worcestershire bowlers made inroads on day two of the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Derbyshire at New Road.

The all-rounder is keen to bat higher than No.8 and further strengthened his claims with a fine knock of 90 to take his run tally for the County this summer past the 400 mark.

It is a figure only surpassed for Worcestershire by Jake Libby with Barnard having now put together a maiden century and three fifty-plus innings in scoring 414 runs at an average of 51.75.

His efforts helped Worcestershire total 421 all out and then Dillon Pennington, Joe Leach and Barnard picked up a wicket apiece as Derbyshire ended on 91 for 3.

Barnard successfully shepherded the lower order this morning as Worcestershire, who resumed on 336 for 7, added another 85 runs from the final three wickets to secure a fourth batting bonus point.

Barnard looked set for a deserved hundred until he cut a delivery from spinner Matt Critchley into the hands of Ben McDermott at backward point.

The England Lions player resumed on 48 and turned Ben Aitchison on the legside to complete a 64 ball half-century with seven boundaries.

He then pulled Sam Conners for four to bring up the 350 - and the fourth batting point - in 102.5 overs.

Alzarri Joseph (12) helped Barnard add 28 before he was caught at mid-off by Billy Godleman off Dustin Melton who then bowled Leach (5) via an inside edge.

But Pennington proved a valuable ally in helping Barnard to add 45 for the last wicket and the paceman struck Critchley for a big six over wide long on.

He remained unbeaten on 24 until Barnard's eventually dismissal after hitting 12 fours in his 120-ball knock. Melton ended with 3 for 76 and there were two wickets apiece for Conners and Aitchinson.

Derbyshire openers Godleman and Brooke Guest were due to face one over before lunch but rain intervened and only eight balls were possible in a brief interlude during a four-hour break from action.

Play eventually restarted at 4.55pm with 29.4 overs remaining and Pennington made a quick breakthrough when Godleman on 10 edged to Tom Fell at first slip.

Leach then struck as Guest turned a delivery off his legs and Ross Whiteley pulled off a superb catch at square leg to end his knock on 20.

It became 58 for 3 when Barnard trapped Leus du Plooy (7) lbw but Australian debutant, Ben McDermott, and Wayne Madsen steadied the innings by adding an unbroken 33.

Derbyshire 3rd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st16BA GodlemanBD Guest
2nd30BA GodlemanJL du Plooy
3rd25WL MadsenJL du Plooy
4th1WL MadsenBR McDermott
5th20WL MadsenMJJ Critchley
6th1WL MadsenFJ Hudson-Prentice
7th23WL MadsenAL Hughes
8th1AL HughesBW Aitchison
9th10AL HughesS Conners
10th1AL HughesDR Melton

County Championship

Division 1
TeamMWLDPT
NOTTS431068
LANCS421157
WARKS421156
HANTS421153
YORKS412140
SOM404014
Division 2
TeamMWLDPT
ESSEX430177
GLOUC431064
DURH311140
NHNTS412138
SUR301227
GLAM403123
Division 3
TeamMWLDPT
KENT440083
MIDDX431067
WORCS422049
LEICS412143
DERBS412142
SUSS404018
Group 1
TeamMWLDPT
NOTTS10424151
WARKS10415145
DURH10325132
ESSEX10325129
WORCS10136109
DERBS1005572
Group 2
TeamMWLDPT
SOM10415148
HANTS10424145
GLOUC10532131
SUR10226123
LEICS10244111
MIDDX1027184
Group 3
TeamMWLDPT
LANCS10415150
YORKS10514149
GLAM10226127
NHNTS10334123
KENT1003797
SUSS1015494