COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, New Road:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY ONE: Worcestershire 287, Northants 3-1
Worcs 2pts, Northants 3pts
Match scorecard

Mason hit six fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 51

Matt Mason struck an unbeaten half-century to help Worcestershire fight back on day one against Northants at New Road.

After the hosts won the toss, three wickets each from Elton Chigumbura and David Lucas saw them slip to to 158-7.

But Mason (51 not out) shared stands of 38 with Ben Cox (59) and 54 with last man Alan Richardson to help Worcestershire to 287 all out.

Mason then removed Stephen Peters as Northants closed on 3-1.

Worcestershire openers David Wheeldon (50) and Daryl Mitchell (23) made slow progress in adding 45 for the first wicket, with Mitchell being caught by James Middlebrook at gully to be the only man to depart before lunch.

Vikram Solanki joined Wheeldon to take the score along to 84, but when the Worcestershire captain was caught in the slips by Peters off Lucas, it sparked a collapse that saw the hosts lose six wickets for 74 runs.

But Worcestershire, first through Cox and then through Mason were able to recover, with their last three wickets worth 129.

Buoyed by his first half-century in six years, Mason struck a further blow to Northants by having Peters caught by Mitchell.

BBC Hereford and Worcester's Trevor Owens:
"Worcestershire will quite justifiably feel this was their day and their lower order - marshalled by Ben Cox - did really well to get them up to 287 all out when they had been 158-7 at one stage.

"Matt Mason's first half-century for six seasons could not have come at a better time and his last-wicket stand of 54 with Alan Richardson clearly frustrated Northants.

"The visitors bowled well as a unit while Stephen Peters was in excellent form in the slips taking four catches.

"But Worcestershire will feel if they can make early inroads into the Northants top order on day two then they will be very firmly in charge of this game."

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