Dazzling Daryl has Lady Luck on side
Matt Wright sees Daryl Mitchell star as Worcestershire extend their 100 per cent record
Worcestershire are a team enjoying their cricket right now, none more so than Daryl Mitchell, after he continued his superb run of form in his side’s victory at Northamptonshire.
The 33-year-old went to Wantage Road off the back of a century against Derbyshire and his application and class at the top of the order was the main reason behind Worcestershire maintaining their 100 per cent record.
Mitchell may no longer be captain, but he continues to set the perfect example to his younger teammates – even if he was dropped on 61 on the way to his first-innings ton.
Mitchell said: “Coming off the back of a hundred last week and playing pretty well, I think sometimes things go for you.
“There were a few nicks that went in the gaps and a couple of shots in the air went wide of fielders and things like that, but you take the luck when you get it because there are times when you don’t get any.
“You try and make use of good form and I’ve been around long enough to know that there’s a low score just around the corner somewhere and a bad trot.
“I obviously started the season pretty poorly in the first two games, so when you get in and get opportunities, it’s all about trying to make the most of them.”
Northants are having to play catch-up with their already small squad depleted, with the latest blow coming in the final over before lunch on day three.
Richard Levi was left with a concussion, but thankfully no fracture, after being struck on the head in attempting to avoid a Josh Tongue bouncer and is now set to be out of action for several weeks
Northants captain Alex Wakely accepts his side’s batting as a whole must improve, saying: “We haven’t scored a hundred yet in the Championship – the statistics are pretty poor with the bat.
“We’ve got some very expressive players, but if you’re caught fine leg, as I was, they’re the sort of things where if sides are beating you convincingly, they don’t do that, they make their wicket hard to get.”