Bears reign supreme at rivals Worcester thanks to classy chase by Hain and Bethell

A perfectly executed chase and an enormous fourth-wicket stand from the classy Sam Hain and the red-hot Jacob Bethell secured the bragging rights for the Bears at rivals Worcester Rapids' New Road on Friday night. The pair put on 148 to help the Bears recover from 7/3, when chasing an obtainable 156, in what was a sterling showing that leaves htem top.

The Bears, fresh from humiliating early pacesetters Northamptonshire at Edgbaston on Thursday night, arrived at New Road without the services of two winter recruits. Hassan Ali, who had been out of the side at any rate, has picked up an elbow injury while Richard Gleeson couldn't complete his second over yesterday and was forced off. It meant that Michael Booth was handed a Blast debut.

He delivered in his very first over, bravely recovering from being smoked for six by Kashif Ali to tempt the Pears opener into attempting the same shot but only succeeding in finding the hands of Craig Miles. Despite the efforts of Ed Pollock, who always seeks to remind his former club of his abilities, the Bears enjoyed what you might say was a fruitful powerplay.

Pollock launched George Garton for 14 runs from the first three balls of his second over, but recruit Josh Cobb couldn't hang around. Attempting an aerial cover drive, he was eye-catchingly plucked out of the air by Jake Lintott. Pollock then surrendered to Dan Mousley, who is enjoying a fine Blast campaign, when he drove to Bethell at mid-on.

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They say that losing three wickets in the powerplay reduces your chances of victory significantly, added to the fact that the Bears were electric in the field, not giving their rivals an inch if they could help it. Lintott's take was followed by another outstanding diving catch from Jacob Bethell to help Danny Briggs dismiss another ex-Bear in Adam Hose, a matter of balls after he smote the spinner for a towering maximum.

Gareth Roderick was brilliantly bowled by Briggs, too, who delivered a fuller ball beneath the keeper's bat, but it was the catching - which the Pears generally offered practice for - that stole the show in the first innings. Mousley proved safe hands at long-on to grant Bethell the wicket of Ethan Brookes, and then he did exactly the same at long-off when Lintott removed Nathan Smith.

At 111/7, the Bears were in complete control, and although they didn't allow the hosts' tail to wag too fervently, they might've rued allowing the Pears to complete their innings. Rob Jones and Tom Taylor put on 40 at the end, with the former pinching two boundaries off of Mousley's final two balls of the 20 overs.

The first over didn't go to plan. Barnard, fresh from his 48 on seasonal debut on Thursday, softly lobbed Smith in the very first over up in the air when his attempted ramp shot went horribly wrong. Mousley was clean bowled the very next ball. Sam Hain certainly wouldn't have expected to be striding to the crease four balls in. A rebuilding mission lay before him.

A second powerplay proved to be wicket strewn. Alex Davies helped Tom Taylor to deep backward point where Hayden Walsh rushed in. The Bears suddenly were 7/3, spelling trouble at the beginning of the chase which appeared favourable before a ball was bowled.

What followed was a textbook demonstration of how to stabilise, keep your head and assume control. Bethell's recent form speaks for itself and Hain is Hain, but plenty of responsibility rested on the shoulders of this fourth-wicket partnership. The pair went about this chase in expert fashion, firstly seeing out the remainder of the powerplay and then setting about building a platform for victory.

Hain loves New Road. His record here as a Bear down the years is excellent. He picked off the Pears' poor balls and nurdled, while Bethell at the other end steadily became more explosive. His second 50 in as many days didn't quite come from 16 deliveries, but as bowling heads went down and lapses in the field became more frequent, the talented all-rounder began to really turn the screw.

Bethell began swatting all comers square of the wicket, climbing into poor Walsh and Finch towards the end. Hain, though, drew the scores level with the shot of the night, a fabulously nonchalant lofted shot over deep mid-wicket. It was a pity that Hain couldn't see the game out when he attempted to scoop Taylor the next ball but was caught behind. Taylor, like Smith with Mousley, then clean bowled Chris Benjamin the next ball to delay the inevitable.

The 148-run partnership, though, was something to behold, with 76 coming from Hain and 71 (not out). It leaves the Bears - with four successive wins - top of the north group for the duration of this Blast pause.