Simon Jones Shines With The Ball

Simon Jones continued his bid to catch the eye of the England selectors again with another five-wicket haul as Worcestershire dominated the first day of the LV Championship Division Two match against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

Put into bat, Leicestershire were bowled out for 120 with Jones taking five for 30 in two explosive spells either side of lunch.

Then Vikram Solanki hit an unbeaten 93 as Worcestershire closed on 175 for two to put themselves in a powerful position.

It was the third time 29-year-old Jones has taken five wickets in an innings this season since joining Worcestershire from Glamorgan.

With the wind at his back Jones worked up to his full 90mph pace after Worcestershire won the toss and unsurprisingly decided to bowl on a well-grassed pitch.

Leicestershire were already in disarray even before Jones was brought into the attack.

Kabir Ali trapped Tom New and Hylton Ackerman lbw in his first three overs and Australian paceman Steve Magoffin had Boeta Dippenaar caught behind off a lifting delivery to leave Leicestershire 27 for three in the 12th over.

The introduction of Jones only added to the home side's problems. In seven overs before lunch he picked up two wickets for 21 runs, finding the edge to remove Matt Boyce to a catch behind and having James Allenby caught at slip off his gloves as he tried to fend off a short-pitched ball.

In between Paul Nixon also edged to wicketkeeper Steve Davies off the bowling of Gareth Andrew as Leicestershire went into lunch at 76 for six.

Jones was even more devastating after the interval, picking up three wickets for nine runs in 5.5 overs.

Tom Smith, on a month's loan from Lancashire, was beaten for pace and comprehensively bowled, Claude Henderson had his leg stump uprooted and Nadeem Malik was yorked with another magnificent delivery.

It gave Jones 24 wickets for the season at an average of 10.54 in five championship games with Worcestershire's Director of Cricket, Steve Rhodes, suggesting the fast bowler is now close to being ready for an England recall.

Leicestershire's total of 120 was their lowest in the championship since they were dismissed for 85 by Northants seven years ago.

Although Malik had Stephen Moore caught at slip in the third over, Worcestershire took control again with a second-wicket stand of 139 between Solanki and Daryl Mitchell.

Solanki was the dominant partner with Mitchell finally out for 49 to a great catch at short leg by New off Henderson.

But Solanki was still there at the close having faced 153 balls and hit 13 fours and a six.