Worcestershire held their nerve to secure a comfortable five-wicket win over Northants in the Benson and Hedges Cup on Wednesday

Sean Beynon01-May-2002Worcestershire held their nerve to secure a comfortable five-wicket win overNorthants in the Benson and Hedges Cup on Wednesday. In a performance whichensured Monday’s mauling at the hands of Gloucestershire was consigned to the memory bank, Worcester’s talented top order proved their calibre. Andy Bichel highlighted his worth as Worcester’s overseas player with four wickets and showed a cool head to guide his side to victory. Despite a superb all-round performance from Tony Penberthy and half-centuries from Mike Hussey and Jeff Cook, Northants bowling attack lacked the depth to take a promising position through to victory.Chasing 233 to win on a fair Wantage Road track which offered assistance with the new ball did not look like being a simple task. The visitors managed an excellent start. A good opening spell from Carl Greenidge was not helped by Mike Cawdron’s inaccuracy – his first two overs went for 22 – and a shoulder injury which took Ben Phillips out of the attack after two overs. Vikram Solanki, along with his opening partner Stephen Peters, punished some terrible bowling. Other than Greenidge, the Northants bowlers were too short, and mistakes were quickly seized upon. Solanki showed his ability off the front foot whenever a bowler over-compensated. Solanki reached his half-century with a delicate late cut. He had faced only 53 balls, striking five fours and two sixes. Peters provided an excellent foil, easing the ball through the field and always willing to attack on the back foot.It was left to veteran performer Penberthy to put the brakes on, a nagging line and length indicative of his experience. The pressure told, and sharp work from Toby Bailey saw an over-balancing Solanki well short of his ground. Along with Penberthy, off-spinner Graeme Swann helped keep Peters and Graeme Hick quiet for a time. Hick, who had spent time at the crease trying to establish himself, went for 17, leg before shouldering arms to an in-ducker from Penberthy. The next over saw the back of Peters, (52) lbw to Swann attempting to sweep. Penberthy finished with 2-18 from his ten overs, as the required rate pushed above six runs per over.David Leatherdale joined Ben Smith, with the pressure mounting. In a breezypartnership, with Leatherdale striking the ball cleanly through the off-side, Worcester re-gained the initiative. The pair began to take advantage of Swann, working him comfortably away without dominating. Not one to be overshadowed, Smith struck Cook for consecutive boundaries on either side of the wicket as the partnership passed 50 at better than a run a ball. With the game beginning to look lost, an uppish drive from Smith was well caught by skipper Michael Hussey at point. Leatherdale (33) soon followed, to a questionable caught behind decision, Cawdron the lucky bowler.It was left to Gareth Batty and Andy Bichel to see Worcestershire home, Batty signalling his intentions by lofting a Cawdron long-hop over mid-wicket for six. Not wishing to be outdone, Bichel hit Cook over long-off in the next over. A leg-side flick bought Bichel six more to compound Cawdron’s misery. Bichel hit the winning runs in the 48th over, flicking Greenidge away through mid-on to bring up the fifty partnership.The day began well for Worcester, with Graeme Hick winning the toss andelecting to field. Bichel struck early, removing Swann and Mal Loye in hisopening spell. Swann, who had clubbed two early boundaries, tried to turn anout-swinger to leg, only succeeding in edging to Stuart Lampitt, who took afine low catch at slip. Loye was caught on the crease, and bowled by a rogueball which kept low. Whilst Bichel was able to trouble Michael Hussey, hiscompatriot took advantage of a quick outfield and looser bowling fromAlagmir Sheriyar.David Sales made a horrible nine, scratching in defence after missing earlyattacking opportunities. He fell to Kabir Ali, flaying a wide ball through to `keeper Steve Rhodes. Russell Warren began positively, whilst Hussey emerged from his shell to lazily hook Kabir Ali over mid-wicket for six. The reintroduction of Bichel bought immediate success, Warren gloving a short ball down the leg side to Rhodes. All the while Stuart Lampitt was proving his worth, his ten overs costing just 25.Hussey continued to look to hit to leg, though the pace of the wicket hampered his efforts. He reached his half-century from 90 balls in the 35th over. He celebrated with a second six, lofting Gareth Batty over mid-wicket. Revenge came quickly for the off-spinner, as Hussey was bowled round his legs the next ball. Hussey’s 58 was a knock of patience, and vital to Northants making a decent total.Big-hitting Jeff Cook hammered David Leatherdale through the covers to signal his arrival, with the home side desperate to take advantage of the final overs. After a couple of mistimed strikes, and a replacement bat, he began to dominate. Cook launched Batty over long-off for six, and then hit Kabir Ali over both cover and Vikram Solanki’s desperate boundary effort. All the while veteran Tony Penberthy helped the board tick over, giving the strike back to Cook. The left-hander’s second six was a massive effort: straight over long-off. Later in the over, Cook hit over the leg side, this time for a one bounce four. He reached his half-century from his 36th ball, gliding Sheriyar to third-man.Once again it was Bichel’s return which proved successful for Worcestershire. Cook tried one slog too many, and was caught easily by David Leatherdale at mid-on. His 50, in a partnership of 68 with Penberthy, gave Northants the edge at halfway. Penberthy’s first boundary saw Sheriyar once more disappearing out of the ground, over mid-wicket for six. The next ball went slightly straighter for six more. His third six was straighter still, over long-on to bring up a superb fifty. Sheriyar got his man with the fifth ball of an extraordinary over, as Penberthy played all over another attempted six. Sheriyar’s ten overs cost 68. A total of 232-7 was more than competitive, set up by Hussey, and completed by Cook and Penberthy’s assault, with 92 runs added in the last ten overs.It was a case of what might have been for Northants. Hussey gritted things out after their batsmen struggled early on, enabling Cook and Penberthy to take advantage. With the ball, wickets came, but the intervening periods were often dismal. Phillips’ injury was a problem, with Cook and Cawdron haemorrhaging runs and Hussey with nobody to turn to.