Daryl Mitchell helps Worcestershire make good start

LV= COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, New Road:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY ONE: Worcestershire 287 v Middlesex 12-1
Middlesex 3pts, Worcestershire 2pts
Match scorecard

Mitchell was Worcestershire's only man to 1000 Championship runs in 2009

Worcestershire's Daryl Mitchell carried on where he left off last summer as he hit 85 on the first day of the new season against Middlesex at New Road.

Phil Jaques (46), Ben Smith (46) and Alex Kervezee (44) helped relegated Worcestershire to 287, England hopeful Steve Finn weighing in with 5-69.

The home side then claimed a prize scalp before the end of the day.

England skipper Andrew Strauss lasted just 11 balls, being caught behind by on-loan Middlesex team-mate Ben Scott.

Richard Jones was the man to claim the wicket as Middlesex reached 12-1 off six overs.

Strauss's early departure followed the exploits of England's latest pace prospect Finn, who took four wickets for one run in 19 balls either side of the tea interval.

The 21-year-old spearheaded his side's fightback after the home team had been boosted by an opening century stand between new vice captain Mitchell and the returning Jaques.

Mitchell, Worcestershire's only man to reach 1,000 Championship runs in top flight cricket last summer, was among Finn's victims.

But, after finishing 2009 with a stunning career-best 298 against Somerset at Taunton, Mitchell showed he has not lost his touch in front of a sun-soaked 1,000-plus crowd after Vikram Solanki's men had been put into bat.

And it was a welcome return to the crease at New Road for Jaques, following fruitful stints at New Road in 2006 and 2007.