County Championship: Worcestershire take control at Warwickshire

Ethan Brookes’ dazzling century and Khurram Shahzad’s dynamic six-for left Worcestershire pressing for a much-needed County Championship win over Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Brookes’ career-best 140 against the club that released him lifted Worcestershire’s first innings to 333 before Shahzad took 6-42 to send the home side all out for 184.

Kai Smith struck 68 and Beau Webster 57 to narrowly avert the follow on but Worcestershire closed the second day on 31 without loss, 180 ahead.

Bottom of Division One, Brett D’Oliveira’s side is strongly-placed to complete a victory that would open the survival race right up – and have nerves jangling at a few clubs above them.

Worcestershire resumed on the second morning on 262-8 with Brookes on 80 and the 24-year-old showed no nerves en-route to a poignant century at his former home ground.

His century, warmly applauded by supporters of both teams, was reached with a six and he went on to strike eight sixes – the second most in an innings by a Worcestershire batter, behind only Graeme Hick’s 11 against Somerset at Taunton in 1988.

Brookes and Adam Finch added 88 before the former fell at the end of a strange Dan Mousley over which included four off-side wides, two leg-side sixes, a dot ball and a wicket. Brookes eventually skied the spinner and, two balls later, Finch fell lbw to Tazeem Ali.

Warwickshire’s top order was then blown away by Shahzad’s opening burst of 6-2-7-3.

Rob Yates left one that knocked out off-stump, Mousley edged behind and Alex Davies dragged on a pull to bag a 25-ball duck.

Shahzad had Zen Malik caught at first slip and when Ed Barnard offered Finch the simplest return catch in this fixture since John Cuffe dismissed Billy Quaife at Dudley in 1912, it was 66-5.

Webster and Smith added 49 but the former’s attempt to bully debutant spinner Bertie Foreman backfired when he chipped to mid off.

After Corey Rocchiccioli pulled Shahzad to deep square and Bamber was lbw, Warwickshire’s last two wickets needed to find 31 to avoid the follow on.

Smith calmly and capably ensured they did. He reached an 88-ball half-century with a six pulled off Ben Allison and showed a selectivity of stroke which some of his more experienced team-mates might seek to emulate in the second innings.

The follow on avoided by one run, Smith nicked a waft at Finch and Olly Hannon-Dalby drove a full toss to extra cover four balls later.

That left Worcestershire 17 overs batting and they quietly increased their advantage – and their chances of recording a first championship win over Warwickshire in 22 attempts since 2000 and their first at Edgbaston since 1993.