Pace Aces Rip Through Pears
Wigley - fine showing.
Pacemen David Wigley and David Lucas shared eight wickets as Northamptonshire dismissed Worcestershire for 146 in their LV County Championship Division Two match at New Road.
Wigley, recalled early from a loan spell at Gloucestershire to face his former county, took a Championship-best four for 43 while Lucas claimed four for 49.
Their combined efforts helped remove Worcestershire in 42.3 overs with Graeme Hick notching a top score of 46 before becoming one of five catches behind by Niall O'Brien.
Northants were grateful for a fine 58 from Rob White before closing on 134 for six off 34.2 overs with seamer Matt Mason taking two for nine in his first Championship game of the season and only his third first-class match since September 2006.
He marked his long-awaited return following two shoulder operations by dismissing David Sales and Riki Wessels.
The visitors, after winning the toss, made healthy progress when the match started on time despite nearly an inch of rain falling on the ground the previous day.
They soon had Worcestershire struggling at 22 for three with Johannes van der Wath accounting for Daryl Mitchell and Ben Smith while Lucas saw off Vikram Solanki.
Mitchell fenced to O'Brien before Solanki drove outside the off-stump to offer a fine diving catch at point by Wigley.
Smith then had his off stump knocked out of the ground to make way for Hick to join Stephen Moore.
They began to pep Worcestershire's fortunes although Hick, on 34, had a remarkable slice of good luck when Lance Klusener dropped the easiest of chances off his own bowling.
The veteran New Road batsman, attempting a pull shot, skied the ball high enough to enable Klusener to move quickly to short leg where he spilled the opportunity in a bizarre lapse of concentration.
Hick was so convinced he was going to be caught that he was heading back to the pavilion before turning on his heels to continue his innings with his side on 78 for three in the 20th over.
He only profited by a further 12 runs, however, before he went for an expansive pull off Wigley and was snapped up by O'Brien.
The 42 year-old hit eight fours off 74 balls and put on 81 in 24 overs with Moore.
Hick's dismissal sparked a lively sequence by the visitors who also included Moore, Steve Davies, Gareth Batty and Gareth Andrew in a burst of five wickets in 36 balls for just 16 runs.
Moore, the subject of a 28 days notice of approach by Northants, departed when he drove at Lucas and was caught at first slip by former Worcestershire all-rounder Andrew Hall for 42, including five fours off 86 balls.
Davies played back to Lucas and was caught behind before Batty directed Wigley to Wessels at cover to leave the hosts on 119 for seven.
Their decline was then delayed by a third interruption for rain before Andrew fell to the first ball after the resumption to give Wigley the chance of a hat-trick which was prevented by Jones.
After another brief shower Wigley and Lucas picked up another scalp each to leave Worcestershire to count the cost of losing their last seven wickets for just 43 in 12 overs.
Northants' reply began with O'Brien becoming an early victim for Kabir Ali before White and Wessels added 68 in 12 overs.
Their stand ended when spinner Batty ousted White after he had collected two sixes and seven fours off 59 balls.
Mason then stepped into the limelight in a six over spell during which he captured Sales and Wessels thanks to catches by wicketkeeper Davies before Kabir followed up by removing Hall and nightwatchman Lucas.