[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

vs Sussex

County Championship, Division Two

New Road, Worcester

Day One: Sussex won the toss and elected to bat.  It took just three balls of the match for Joe Leach to dismiss debutant Angus Robson caught behind, and within fourteen overs the visitors had sunk to 49-3.  However, there was little to shout about for the Pears after that, as successive partnerships piled on the runs to make this Sussex's day.  Ed Barnard shone with three wickets, but the visitors close on 342-7 and have every hope of making 400+ with Chris Jordan looking good at the crease.  The forecast is mostly clear for the next three days, we're likely to get a result from this one; Worcestershire need to get a grip and make it theirs.

Day Two: From bad to considerably worse for the Pears as Sussex strolled to 430 all out, with Ed Barnard twice bowling the dangerous Jofra Archer only to see him reprieved by a no ball decision. When Worcestershire came to the crease the troubles intensified, only Joe Clarke putting together a decent innings of 77 as the top order collapsed. At close of play the Pears were 231-8, fifty runs short of saving the follow-on, and it seems likely they'll be batting again in the near future. The forecast for tomorrow is bad, and everyone at New Road will be doing a raindance come the morning. Lose most of the day's play and there's a chance of steering this one to a draw on Wednesday, but otherwise the Pears are staring down the barrel of a defeat they can ill afford.

Day Three: The rain came, but not heavily enough to save Worcestershire from themselves.  Despite the best efforts of Ed Barnard, who dragged the Pears almost single-handedly to within 13 runs of saving the follow-on, they were dismissed and obliged to bat again. Cue an utter shitshow once again as the top order bottled it, and by early afternoon it was merely a question of whether the innings defeat could be avoided. Worcestershire had Barnard to thank again on that score as the number seven made 46 to accompany his first-innings tally of 65 not out, and the Pears managed to stumble to a lead of eight runs; half of what they set Glamorgan back in June in a match which played out similarly. As in the Glamorgan match there was also time for a Sussex wicket to fall, and who should take it but that man Ed Barnard? But there's no positive spin to be put on this. Sussex deserved the win, but Worcestershire's woes continue. Inability to see off middle and lower order batsmen coupled with batting collapses of our own at every opportunity; this is not the look of a side that warrants a place in Division One.

Worcestershire LOSE by nine wickets

Star Performer: By some considerable distance the only man at New Road who can hold his head up high this week is Ed Barnard, with four wickets and 111 runs in the match. More of the same, young man.

Next Match: God help us, it's back to the T20 on Friday with a trip up to Durham.