Steve Rhodes: Worcestershire batting collapses must stop
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes has said they must address their batting issues if they are to be a success in Division One.
Collapses against Yorkshire and Sussex ruined the county's chances of victory in their opening two matches of the championship season.
"We've lost clusters of wickets and we can't afford to do that," Rhodes told BBC Hereford & Worcester.
"It's something that we're going to have to address."
Although their first-innings efforts have been very competitive, with Tom Fell and Richard Oliver already hitting hundreds, it has been Worcestershire's second-innings fragility that has cost them dear.
| Worcestershire: First innings good, second innings bad | |
|---|---|
| v Yorkshire (New Road) | v Sussex (Hove) |
| 1st Inns: 311, Fell 114, Ali 62, Andrew 59 | 1st Inns: 389, Oliver 101, Kervezee 93, Andrew 70 |
| 2nd Inns: 100, Kohler-Cadmore 24 | 2nd Inns: 185, Cox 48 not out |
In their opening game of the season against the defending champions, they had a small first-innings lead, only to be bowled out by the Tykes for 100 second time round on their way to a 10-wicket defeat.
At Hove, they began the final day 47 for no wicket, needing another 200 for victory, but collapsed to 185 all out to lose by 61 runs.
Rhodes is aware his newly-promoted side need to learn lessons from those two experiences quickly.
"They're a young inexperienced side that are learning all the time. It'll take a bit of time to get over and learn from," he said.
"We've been very competitive in the two games but, when you're playing tough cricket, you're waiting for your opportunities and then you take them. That, sadly, is something we haven't done."
Worcestershire take on Somerset in their next Championship match at New Road, beginning on Sunday.
