Six-wicket Copeland signs off in style as Northants thrash Worcestershire

Copeland took a further three wickets as the home side took 45 minutes to wrap up the visitors’ second innings after they resumed the third day on 97 for six, 21 runs from making Northants bat again.

The 22-point haul was the result of another outstanding performance from the four-strong seam attack who have been in excellent form all season with Copeland, playing his final game before returning to Sydney, the pick.

The County are hoping they can tempt Copeland back for a second stint later in the season, and it’s easy to see why.

The Aussie finished with figures of six for 41, passing 50 competitive wickets for the club in the process, as Worcestershire were bowled out for 125.

After 10 relatively uneventful minutes, Copeland got the show under way as he had Gareth Andrew caught behind as the left-hander attempted to draw his bat out of the way.

That broke a partnership of 36, something of a triumph after the wreckage of the previous evening, and it opened up the Worcestershire tail.

The first of those, Jack Shantry, lasted just two deliveries before Copeland trapped him in front to pick up his fifth of the innings and his fourth lbw.

Chris Russell, who had dismissed Copeland on the second day a ball after hitting him on the helmet, was greeted unsurprisingly by a bouncer but that delayed the inevitable which came five minutes later as he edged behind to David Murphy.

Throughout the carnage, Moeen Ali was standing firm and emulating his efforts of the first innings when he top-scored with 79.

He was the only Worcestershire player to get more than 25 in the contest and showed what was achievable via good judgment and application which he displayed in abundance.

Alan Richardson came in with 10 runs still needed to make the hosts bat again and this target was reached as a David Willey no-ball ensured parity.

The number 11 became the last man to depart as he fended Willey to James Middlebrook in the gully leaving Ali, who finished with 44 from 122 deliveries, stranded at the other end.

That left a meagre eight runs required to win and after a Shantry maiden and a couple of runs off Russell, victory was accomplished in the third over as Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer lofted Shantry over extra cover for six.

Northants are now 44 points clear of second-placed Lancashire at the top of the LV= Championship Division Two table.