C & G Trophy: Worcestershire v Herefordshire at Worcester, 11 Jul 2001 CricInfo Live Report

C & G Trophy: Worcestershire v Herefordshire at Worcester, 11 Jul 2001
Roy Bradley

Herefordshire innings: Innings break,
Worcestershire innings: Worcestershire won by 7 wickets,

NAGRA UPSTAGES HICK BUT WORCESTERSHIRE TOO STRONG FOR HEREFORDSHIRE

An unbeaten 101 put paid to Herefordshire's chances of causing another upset but could not snaffle the man of the match award from the Minor Counties team's hero, Ravi Nagra.

The 22-year-old pharmacy student, who plays for Old Hill in the Birmingham League, hit 12 fours and two sixes in a brilliant 105 from 107 balls out of a total of 210.

Nagra put on 55 in 11 overs with Old Hill clubmate Nathan Round (41) and dominated another rapid partnership of 54 in only nine overs with Andy Edwards (16).

What threatened to be a day of embarrassment for Worcestershire eventually turned into a tidal wave in their favour as Herefordshire collapsed when Nagra was caught low down at short extra cover by David Leatherdale.

Stuart Lampitt, Kabir Ali and Andy Bichel mopped up the tail and the county side were barely stretched in strolling to 214 for 3 to win by seven wickets with 12.5 overs to spare.

There was just one glimmer of hope for Herefordshire when Round ran out Philip Weston from cover in the fifth over, but Hick collected 16 fours in a 92-ball cruise to a century on an easy-paced pitch.

Anurag Singh (42) helped put on 90 until bowled by former Notts veteran Kevin Cooper and Vikram Solanki chipped Aamir Farooque to mid-wicket after a 33-ball dash to 41 out of 89 in 12 overs.

NAGRA HUNDRED BOOSTS HEREFORDSHIRE

Ravi Nagra, a student at Brighton University, gave Worcestershire a major scare by scoring Herefordshire's first century in the senior knock-out competition.

The 22-year-old right-hander, who plays for Old Hill in the Birmingham League, thrashed 105 from 107 balls as the Minor Counties team made 210 in 47 overs.

It was an impressive follow-up to their third-round win against Middlesex but a lot short of what was expected when Nagra reached his hundred at 187 for 5 after hitting 12 fours and two sixes.

Nagra, a late replacement for injured New Zealander Andre Adams, took his chance in the grand style while sharing in half-century stands with Nathan Round (41) and Andy Edwards (16).

Worcestershire skipper Graeme Hick shuffled his bowlers in an attempt to curb the five-runs-an-over assault and finally found the answer in Kabir Ali and Stuart Lampitt.

Nagra was seventh out of 197 when drilling a ball from Lampitt to short extra cover for a fine catch by David Leatherdale and the tail quickly folded on a good batting pitch.