Worcestershire overcome champions Notts by six wickets at New Road

PEARS END LONG WAIT FOR TOP-FLIGHT WIN

Worcestershire ended a four-year wait for a Division One victory in the County Championship and moved off the foot of the table as they overcame champions Nottinghamshire by six wickets at New Road.

Chasing a victory target of 254 in what became 50 overs, the Pears had 25 balls to spare on registering their first top-flight win since beating Yorkshire at Kidderminster in 2007.

Relegated in each of their three previous campaigns in Division One, they will look on a successful run-chase against last year's champions as a major breakthrough after starting this season with six consecutive defeats.

Nottinghamshire played their part in an thrilling game when declaring at 273 for eight after a century by captain Chris Read, but they were destined for a third successive defeat as Vikram Solanki charged to 85 from 104 balls.

The former captain began his innings in the second over when James Cameron was lbw to Charlie Shreck and shared in stands of 117 with Matt Pardoe, who made 54 for the fourth half-century in his first championship season, and then 62 in 45 deliveries with Gareth Andrew.

Solanki played some eye-catching shots for his six fours and four sixes until Worcestershire lost two wickets in four balls from Samit Patel.

Andrew was stumped after making 31 and Solanki was given out leg before as he attempted to reverse sweep the spinner, but it proved to be no more than a wobble.

Moeen Ali (35) and Alexei Kervezee (40) cleared off the last 69 runs in only 47 balls.

With Nottinghamshire only 84 ahead after beginning the final day at 104 for five, Read lived up to his standing as the master of lower-order recoveries by making an unbeaten 120 from 169 balls.

Overnight partner Patel, already past his half-century, opened up with three fours in Andrew's second over of the day and stayed for 40 minutes before he was caught at slip for 84 off the left-arm seamer Jack Shantry.

Patel and Read could easily have fallen in a superb first spell by Alan Richardson, but the 36-year-old's search for his 400th first-class wicket had to be delayed for another day as Nottinghamshire batted on into the afternoon.

Shantry took the last two wickets to fall. Paul Franks (14) put on 52 with Read before he went lbw in the first over after lunch and Andre Adams (15) dragged the ball on to his stumps after smashing a couple of sixes.

When the New Zealander departed, Read was on 92 and Worcestershire were bowling with the new ball, but he duly completed his 19th hundred with 13 fours and a straight six.

He immediately looked towards a declaration and the unlucky Richardson conceded three sixes - two to Read and one to Shreck - off the last four balls of the innings.

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