WORCESTERSHIRE over 60s lost by six wickets to Warwickshire at Moseley Ashfield in the County Championship West Midlands Group.

A rain-soaked pitch made the toss important and it favoured the hosts, who invited Worcestershire to bat first.

From the first delivery, which skidded and took a slice out of the turf, predicting where the ball would be and then playing the right stroke was tricky for the batsmen.

Progress was slow with the County openers needing to restrain their attacking impulses and use their skills to avoid losing wickets.

A miserly rate of about two runs per over was maintained until halfway through the innings, with the first two wickets falling to inside edges onto the stumps.

Despite the best efforts of the Worcestershire batsmen, none could master the conditions and the innings stumbled to a close at 122-9 from 45 overs at tea.

Opener Brian Pleass top scored with 33.

Despite sun and a drying wind, together with the application of the roller during the break, Warwickshire’s batsmen were faced with only slightly better ground conditions.

Their reply started well, although two fine bowling spells by Martin Woodward and George Batty kept the County in with a chance.

Woodward’s nine overs for 20 runs included a brilliant full-length diving one-handed caught and bowled among his two wickets.

Batty bowled his overs for just 21, baffling the batsmen with a mixture of seam, leg-spin, googlies and top-spin.

Despite the fightback, Warwickshire took great care and reached the target for four wickets with six overs remaining.