Libby marathon helps Pears rewrite record books
Jake Libby achieved a career-best unbeaten 228 as Worcestershire compiled the third-highest first-class score in their history.Stand-in captain Libby batted throughout a 10-hour vigil to secure a second Championship double hundred, while underpinning his side's vast 679-7 declared - the third biggest total in Worcestershire's history.His double century was paired with Adam Hose's on day one – making it the first time two Worcestershire batters had passed 200 in an innings, while Gareth Roderick's 80 kept Libby company for much of day two.The declaration at tea left Hampshire 32 overs until close, and during the evening the hosts managed to lose their top three on a lifeless pitch to end the day on 68-3 – an ominous 611 in arrears.Aged 21, Libby scored a double ton in Nottinghamshire's Second XI. On Championship debut, Libby scored a 247-ball century. In 2021, he batted for 681 minutes – two minutes shy of the longest Championship innings – to save a match against Essex.This innings shouldn't have come as a shock to anyone, especially when it became clear before lunch on day one that the Hampshire bowlers were in for a torturous time with the pitch and Kookaburra ball.While Hose scored with abandon, Libby frustrated and accumulated. The pair put on 395 with their contrasting style until Hose's departure late on the opening day.Nightwatcher Adam Finch and Ethan Brookes fell in the morning session but Hampshire only managed to pick up one bowling point, with Worcestershire counting the maximum five batting points to reverse their batting woes this season.Finch edged the three-wicket James Fuller behind, while Brookes left a straight one from Kyle Abbott.But Libby persisted, passing 150 with his sole six – towering Liam Dawson straight down the ground – and found Roderick a similarly stubborn partner.Roderick had barely scraped 250 runs together in 16 previous innings this season, but given the perfect batting conditions, upped the price on his wicket.It wasn't pretty viewing in the roasting south coast sun, but it kept the scoreboard slowly ticking and the Hampshire bowlers, eight of whom were used in total, toiling.Roderick's second fifty of the season came in 114 balls, but it was overshadowed by Libby raising his bat on 200 after 399 deliveries.Roderick top-edged a sweep to fall for 80 and Matthew Waite was carelessly run out before Tom Taylor added 51 with Libby.With a new ball ready after tea, Libby decided to put Hampshire's bowlers out of their misery by concluding his and Worcestershire's innings, having cleared his previous high of 215.The 679 was the highest Worcestershire score away from New Road and the highest total by a visiting team to Utilita Bowl – second only to the 714 Hampshire posted against Notts in 2005 overall.Hampshire's response was not wholly unsurprising after 160 overs of draining fielding in mercury rising temperatures.Fletcha Middleton and Ali Orr had already been given lives when chances were shelled in the slips, but didn't cash in.Middleton never looked comfortable before a hooping in-swinging from Taylor hit his pads in front, while Orr seemed to find rhythm until shabbily turning Finch to leg slip.Nick Gubbins followed to give Taylor a second leg-before wicket but Tilak Varma and Ben Brown remained for the last 40 balls of the day.ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay
Worcestershire batter Jake Libby: "I'm pretty tired to be honest. It has been two really hot days but I think I've helped put the team in a really good position."The way me and Hose batted yesterday was really good and then to get those three late wickets there is the cherry on top of a really nice cake."It is a really good wicket and we haven't been batting on such good surfaces this year. I felt I had to cash in and go really big and with the circumstances of the game and how it will pan out, it was important to go massive."We knew the evening was going to be a tough session for them so to pick up those three wickets was important. I think we bowled really well with good intensity."We have a long distance ahead of us, but we have put a marker down tonight for what the standard is. If we can do it for a long period of time then we have a hell of a chance in this game."
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