Opening pair combine for club-record 259-run partnership to set up huge win
ECB Reporters Network24-Jul-2024Centurions Ed Pollock and Gareth Roderick rewrote the record books in spectacular style for Worcestershire during their 183-run Metro Bank One Day Cup triumph over Middlesex at New Road.The opening pair smashed 259 off just 35.2 overs, Worcestershire’s highest first wicket List A partnership, in a total of 371 for 3 from 48 overs. Their stand surpassed by the 243 made by Brett D’Oliveira and Jack Haynes against Essex at Chelmsford three years ago.Pollock went onto amass 180 from 138 balls with five sixes and 21 fours, his second century in four days after his 120 not out against Wales in a warm-up match. It was the joint second-highest individual score for Worcestershire in List A cricket alongside Tom Moody with only Callum Ferguson (192) ahead of Pollock.Roderick was the perfect foil to Pollock during the initial phase of his innings but then accelerated to such an extent that he scored his 115 off only 104 balls and also with five sixes in addition to 10 other boundaries.A three wicket burst with the new ball by Harry Darley, one of six Worcestershire One-Day Cup debutants, pressed home his side’s advantage. Another in Jack Home then chipped in with three wickets and, Middlesex who lost half of their side for 118 despite Mark Stoneman’s powerful 75 off 37 balls, were bowled out in just 25.4 overs.Worcestershire fielded arguably the most inexperienced attack in their history after being decimated by injury and illness. Their absentees were Joe Leach, Adam Finch, Nathan Smith, Ben Gibbon, Matthew Waite, Yadvinder Singh, Josh Cobb, Kashif Ali and D’Oliveira.Six players made their One-Day Cup debuts in Home and Darley, Rehaan Edavalath and three new short-term signings from National Counties cricket in Tom Hinley (Oxfordshire), Hishaam Khan (Staffordshire) and Tommy Sturgess (Berkshire). Middlesex had five players absent due to the Hundred in Stephen Eskinazi, Max Holden, Leus du Plooy, Ryan Higgins and Tom Helm, and handed first One Day Cup starts to Nathan Fernandes and Noah Cornwell.Worcestershire were put into bat and Pollock and Roderick gave them a flying start with a century stand in 16.3 overs. Pollock was the dominant partner initially and raced to his half century off 45 balls. But Roderick gradually stepped on the accelerator in supporting the left-hander as boundaries flowed constantly and he completed a 62-ball fifty.Pollock moved into the 90s with a six backward of square off Blake Cullen and then a steer to third man off the same bowler enabled him to complete a superb hundred. Roderick swept Fernandes for another maximum – his fourth – in completing a 92-ball hundred which also contained nine fours.The stand was worth 259 in 35.2 overs when Roderick attempted a similar shot against Fernandes and was bowled. But then Rob Jones provided staunch support in adding 93 in just 10.2 overs with Pollock.. His memorable effort finally ended when he went for another big hit against Fernandes and was caught at long-on.Darley, who made his senior debut with four appearances in the Vitality Blast, struck a trio of early blows with the new ball when Middlesex launched their reply. His second legitimate delivery nipped back and bowled Sam Robson and then a similar ball hit the top of Joe Cracknell’s off stump.There was more joy for Darley when Fernandes aimed a leg-side blow and popped up a catch to captain Jake Libby at cover. Home came into the attack and struck when Jack Davies top edged a skier to fellow keeper Roderick. He then had Stoneman caught behind when driving and Martin Andersson holed out to third man and the innings quickly subsided.