Wickets drought for Joseph

LONDON – Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph was thrifty but lacked penetration as Warwickshire kept Worcestershire in the field for the entirety of day one of their County Championship clash on Thursday.

Sent in at Edgbaston, the hosts reached 271 for seven with 21-year-old opener Robert Yates top-scoring with 104 and wicketkeeper Michael Burgess weighing in with 65 not out.

Joseph, in his third match for the club, went wicketless from 18 overs which cost only 49 runs.

“If we are honest, we were poor in the first session,”said Worcestershire captain Joe Leach, who snared two for 51.

“There was a little bit of help in the wicket but we just didn’t capitalise on it.”

The left-handed Yates, who faced 229 balls in five hours and struck 14 boundaries, put on 77 for the second wicket with Pieter Malan (32), 36 for the third wicket with Sam Hain (8) and 70 for the fifth wicket with Burgess.

Yates was eventually fifth out, the second of two wickets for leg-spinner Brett D’Oliveira (2-31) but Burgess, who lashed eight fours off 124 balls, staged a 38-run, sixth wicket partnership with Tim Bresnan (20) to frustrate the visitors.

At Lord’s, West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite ended the opening day unbeaten on five as visitors Gloucestershire, replying to Middlesex’s 210, reached 19 for one.

Robbie White had earlier struck an unbeaten 76, propping up the innings in a knock that lasted 149 deliveries and 203 minutes and included nine fours, as wickets tumbled around him.

Opening fast bowler David Payne snatched five for 31.

At Leeds, fast bowler Miguel Cummins was not required as his Kent batted all day to reach 224 for seven against Yorkshire, with England’s Zak Crawley top-scoring with 90.

And at Wantage Road in the English East Midlands, Bermudian all-rounder Delray Rawlins was dismissed for a five-ball ‘duck’ as Sussex collapsed to 106 all out with fast bowler Ben Sanderson (5-28) and 40-year-old seamer Gareth Berg (5-18) picking up five wickets apiece.

Rob Keogh (66) and Saif Zaib (66 not out) then hit half-centuries to guide Northamptonshire to 214 for five at the close. (CMC)