Trott holds up Worcestershire

Jonathan Trott scored an unbeaten 88 to guide his team to a competitive total

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Warwickshire’s Jonathan Trott frustrated promotion rivals Worcestershire with an unbeaten half-century on day two of the LV County Championship Division Two match at New Road.

A defiant Trott made 88 not out in his side’s 251 all out in 62.5 overs in reply to the table-toppers’ score of 339.

By the close Worcestershire had stretched their overall lead to 133 by reaching 45 for the loss of Stephen Moore.

Trott notched one six and nine fours off 116 balls to give Warwickshire a crucial lift after they had suffered at the hands of paceman Chris Whelan, who claimed a career-best 4-66.

Trott’s fine efforts, however, failed to stop Worcestershire from taking command on a day when wickets tumbled after the hosts resumed on 282 for five off 78 overs.

They were finally dismissed in 96.1 overs with pacemen Neil Carter and Chris Woakes sharing the wickets.

Carter, who grabbed four wickets the previous day, finished with 6-100 while Woakes took 4-80.

Woakes made a major impact by removing Vikram Solanki, Gareth Andrew and Whelan in the space of eight balls for no runs.

Skipper Solanki, 86 not out overnight, fell just nine runs short of what would have been his fifth championship century of the season when he was trapped lbw after hitting one six and 14 fours off 191 balls.

Andrew played down the wrong line and was bowled without getting off the mark while Whelan was caught at third slip by Tony Frost for a single.

Just before Whelan’s departure Gareth Batty, who resumed on 18 not out, cover-drove Carter to the boundary to earn his side a valuable third bonus point in the 85th over.

Neil Carter picked up his second six-wicket haul for Warwickshire, to help skittle Worcestershire today

Carter then polished off Solanki’s men when he ousted Imran Arif and AJ Harris to secure his second six-wicket haul for the visitors.

Arif slashed to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose before the unfortunate Harris was struck on the helmet and the ball dropped to dislodge his leg stump.

Batty finished undefeated on 60, hitting two sixes and eight fours off 95 balls.

Warwickshire’s hopes of a solid start to their reply quickly began to evaporate against a New Road attack lacking injured Simon Jones, Kabir Ali and Matt Mason.

Harris had Darren Maddy caught behind by Steve Davies, before a slip catch by Solanki ousted Ian Westwood off Arif.

Frost was unluckily run-out when a straight drive by Trott was deflected onto the stumps by bowler Whelan who then accounted for Jim Troughton thanks to another Davies catch.

Warwickshire’s struggle continued when they slipped to a worrying 106 for five with the removal of Ambrose, who was trapped lbw by an Andrew delivery which kept low.

By tea they were 146 for six off 39.3 overs, having lost Woakes when he fended a chest high delivery from Whelan to Davies.

Trott and Ian Salisbury, however, held up Worcestershire after the interval and completed a half-century partnership in seven overs with Trott reaching his fifty off 70 deliveries with six fours.

Their gallant stand finally ended when Salisbury, with one six and six fours, drove at Arif and was bowled for 48 after putting on 68 in 12 overs with Trott.

Arif caught and bowled Carter before Whelan saw off Boyd Rankin and Chris Martin.