Worcestershire short of follow-on

Graeme Hick scored a rapid 60 off 62 balls on his return to action © Getty Images

Buy this photo

Worcestershire plunged into trouble against Gloucestershire despite a thrilling comeback by Graeme Hick in his first innings in the LV County Championship for four weeks.

The former England batsman scored 60 from only 62 balls on his return from an elbow operation but Gloucestershire’s under-strength bowling attack took the honours on a rain-curtailed day.

Defending a first innings total of 444, the visitors made up for lost time by pressing for an innings victory. Closing at 189 for nine, Worcestershire still needed 106 to avoid the follow-on.

Daryl Mitchell’s left elbow was badly bruised when struck by a lifting ball from Will Rudge and the 24-year-old opener’s retirement at the end of the fourth over was quickly followed by a batch of wickets.

Although without their leading pace bowlers, Jon Lewis and Steve Kirby, Gloucestershire’s quartet of seamers always had a chance of forcing an error on the two-paced surface.

Rudge’s erratic first spell - the Bristol-born understudy conceded 27 runs in four overs - produced a key wicket when Vikram Solanki played back and edged to Mark Hardinges at third slip.

Stephen Moore was next to go, caught behind in Hardinges’ first over, and Anthony Ireland was rewarded for a testing opening spell when Ben Smith’s loose drive was comfortably taken by Chris Taylor at point.

Ireland conceded only six runs in eight overs until Hick and Steven Davies seized the initiative in a partnership of 64. Hick planted a long-hop from Rudge into the hospitality marquee and also hit seven fours in reaching a 53-ball fifty in his first championship match since scoring his 135th first-class century against Warwickshire last month.

Hick greeted Ireland’s return with another six into the pavilion seating but surprisingly fell to Alex Gidman when prodding a catch to short mid-wicket from the acting Gloucestershire captain’s fourth ball.

The medium-pacers then kept the pressure on Worcestershire. Having made smooth progress to 32, Davies played on to Hardinges (2-41), and Gareth Batty was sixth out at 150 when a good ball from Gidman (2-36) cut back into his pads.

The lower order offered a hint of resistance until Rudge (3-60) improved his figures with a couple of quick wickets. Steve Magoffin gave Stephen Snell his second catch behind the stumps and Gareth Andrew was brilliantly caught, low down at first slip, by Grant Hodnett.

When Richard Jones carved Ireland (2-24) to Taylor at point, Mitchell reappeared to delay the follow-on until bad light came to Worcestershire’s rescue.