Vince back in the groove to boost England chances

JAMES VINCE struck the first half-century of the County Championship season on an opening day largely wrecked by the wet weather. With only Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow assured of places in England’s top seven for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s in late May, 27-year-old Vince began the jostle for places alongside them in a positive manner. The Hampshire batsman — who along with Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan will be considered for an upgrade to an incremental England contract by the national selectors — contributed a 74-ball 75 at the Ageas Bowl, departing as one of two victims for veteran Australian seamer Steve Magoffin on his second debut for newly-promoted Worcestershire. The visitors hit back with a burst of six wickets for 84 runs, before Gareth Berg matched Vince’s tally in a last-wicket blitz. Berg was unbeaten on 33 when No 11 Fidel Edwards strode out to join him. Three quarters of an hour later, Edwards fell having scored one in a 48-run stand. The only other play possible was at Lord’s, where Middlesex lost two wickets apiece to Northamptonshire’s Ben Sanderson and Brett Hutton. However, Paul Stirling and John Simpson rallied from a position of 63 for four with an unbroken 69-run stand before bad light brought an early end.