Worcestershire trialist, Conner Haddow, dominated proceedings at Newport Cricket Club, claiming impeccable figures of 5-51 and 7-38 in respective innings, as his side came out on top over three days in a return to friendly action away to Glamorgan.
A Haddow fifer helped to restrict the home side to just 254, as George Ealham starred with the bat for the Pears, notching a scintillating 160 runs helping the visitors built a first innings lead of 94, having replied with a resounding 348, despite a Joe Davies hat-trick for the Welsh outfit.
It was then Worcestershire’s left-arm spinner who played protagonist once more, as Haddow staggeringly improved on his first innings haul, accounting for seven of Glamorgan’s second-innings scalps, as his side needed just 85 runs on day three to seal victory.
Despite somewhat of a second-innings top-order collapse from Alexei Kervezee’s side, contributions from Fin Jones, Seb Linnit and Alfie Higgins proved enough to see the Pears over the line, emerging victorious by three wickets on Monday.
Back in action for the first time since mid-July, the 2nd XI enjoyed a fruitful opening spell with the ball, having lost the toss and been asked to bowl first.
Wickets from Sam Greer and Ealham, before Haddow pitched in with two in the space of three overs, ensured Worcestershire took firm control of the early exchanges, as Glamorgan found themselves at 83-4 from their first 20 overs.
Will Smale and Henry Hurle looked to employ some much-needed stability for the hosts, putting on a fifty partnership for the fifth wicket, with Smale moving past his half-century shortly after.
It wasn’t long before Ealham tempted Hurle into a poke outside off-stump however, the Glamorgan man edged to Lees at first slip, seeing the promising partnership dismantled on the last ball of the 40th over at 151-5.
Just over six overs later and it was the time of the dangerous Smale (64) to depart, as trialist Haddow bowled the homeside’s anchor straight through the gate to strike for his third scalp of the day.
Lower-order pair Ray Toole and Romano Franco then came together for the hosts’ seventh wicket, putting on a defiant fifty partnership whilst pushing their side past 200 runs ahead of Tea on Day One.
Worcestershire’s Daniyal Khan pinned Toole (44) LBW to seemingly swing momentum back in the Pears’ favour, before striking once more in the 75th over, as his right-arm round the wicket approach turned devilishly to beat Franco’s defences and snap his middle stump.
Pick of the bowlers Haddow (21.4-5-51-5) then completed his fifer by claiming Glamorgan’s final two wickets the very next over, as the homeside set a first innings total of 254.
With time enough in the day for Worcestershire to commence their reply, openers Jones and Khan batted assuringly, guiding their side to 70-0 at the close on Day One.
A tough morning on Day Two for the Pears breathed life back into their opponents, however, as the travelling side lost three early wickets to slip to 82-3 at the end of the 24th over.
Ealham had now joined Seth Essenhigh at the crease, and despite the pair’s best attempts to rebuild their side’s innings, the 2nd XI’s tough testing first session with the bat continued.
Essenhigh fell in the 34th over before a Davies hat-trick five overs later sent shockwaves through the Worcestershire camp.
Glamorgan then claimed the scalp of Greer the very next over, as the resolute Ealham and new-man Haddow navigated their startled side to Lunch at 164-8.
Much to the relief of the 2nd XI, the day’s interval seemed to provide a much-needed opportunity for the Pears to regroup before going out on the hunt for Glamorgan’s first innings total once more.
Ealham and Haddow put on 100-runs for Worcestershire’s ninth wicket, as the pair pushed on past the hosts’ total in the 73rd over.
The in-and-set duo battled on admirably, continuing after Tea with Ealham having notched a sensational 150 runs off 174 balls, as Haddow too claimed his half-century.
Haddow (56) eventually came unstuck in the 90th over of the day’s play, as Ealham (160) too was dismissed just three deliveries later, signifying an end to a truly remarkable stay of over three hours at the crease, having helped his side to a total of 348 and a lead of 94.
Buoyed by their late-in-the-day resurgence with the bat, the 2nd XI carried this momentum with them with the ball in hand, demonstrating a ruthless streak within the first 20 overs once again to leave Glamorgan wobbling at the end of Day Two on 49-3.
The hosts’ resilience with the bat saw them start Day Three positively, pushing past Worcestershire’s total and looking to extend a lead.
The red-hot Haddow had other ideas, however, claiming three more wickets in rapid succession to peg the Welsh side back to 118-6 after 36 overs.
Smale continued to be a thorn in the Pears’ side, as he once more played the anchoring role for his team; however, Haddow had him trapped in front for 70, as he claimed a crucial sixth wicket as Glamorgan faltered to 129-7.
Two quickfire Assad Azami wickets either side of Lunch continued to spur the visitors on, as Worcestershire’s undisputed star of the match, Haddow, had Toole caught in the deep to cap off Glamorgan’s second innings with a score of just 178.
On an occasion where Haddow (27.3-11-38-7) had mesmerised those at Newport with the ball, the Pears now only needed 84 runs to claim victory on Day Three.
Alexei Kervezee’s side made harder work of this than they would have hoped, however, as Ealham was not able to replicate his first innings heroics, with Worcestershire’s top five contributing a combined 32 runs to the final chase.
Fortunately, lower-order contributions from Linnitt (27) and Higgins (22*) ensured the Pears avoided a potential slip-up, as Higgins eased a single through the offside in the 10th over after Tea, to secure the 2nd XI a 3-wicket victory over Glamorgan on Day Three in Newport.