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Joe Leach made a stunning return to action after injury with a six-wicket haul as Worcestershire took control of the bottom-of-the-table County Championship battle with Kent.
The ageing seamer, who is to retire at the end of the season after ongoing knee trouble, took 6-52 from 11.5 overs – the second best figures of his career – as backmarkers Kent were dismissed for 171.
The Pears then cruised to 137-2 at the close, with opener Gareth Roderick well set on 53 and looking to build a match-winning first-innings lead.
Home captain Brett D’Oliveira, Kashif Ali and Adam Finch also returned after lengthy spells on the side-lines, while Kent included both their new signings, West Indian Akeem Jordan and Alfie Ogborne, on loan from Somerset.
But this was Leach’s day in his first appearance since the match against Nottinghamshire in late May – and his determination to return for the climax of the season to keep the Pears in English cricket’s top flight paid off handsomely.
After conceding 26 runs in his first four overs, once he had settled into his rhythm in his second spell from the New Road End, he took three wickets in 13 balls to undermine Kent’s promising start.
They subsided from 73-0 to lose all 10 wickets for just 98 in 32.4 overs.
There was also an encouraging debut for New Zealand paceman James Hartshorn, brought in from Sussex League cricket after fellow Kiwi Nathan Smith was forced to cut short his spell at New Road through injury, who bowled a nagging line and length.
But the bowlers were also backed up by some fine catching behind the wicket, most notably by Rob Jones who held onto four chances at second slip.
Roderick then continued his fine form with a half century to spearhead Worcestershire’s reply and they closed 34 in arrears with eight wickets in hand.
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