A HEROIC final-day innings from Matthew Waite helped Worcestershire CCC salvage a draw against Somerset in their County Championship opener.
Waite finished on 87 not out from a staggering 319 deliveries as the Pears dug in to come away with an unlikely draw at Taunton.
Captain Brett D’Oliveira also scored a superb century before eventually falling to Archie Vaughan after facing 340 balls.
Worcestershire had just five wickets remaining going into the final day of play, still trialing Somerset by 236 runs.
However, a mammoth effort from Worcestershire’s middle and lower order ensured the Pears started the season with a draw.
The Pears suffered two first-innings collapses as the visitors slipped from 70-1 to 111-5 and then 151-7 to 154 all out.
Opener Gareth Roderick (58) hit a half-century while Jake Libby (30) and Waite (32 not out) also chipped in with useful runs.
Somerset bowler Kasey Aldridge (5-36) claimed a five-wicket haul while Craig Overton (3-24) claimed three scalps at the end of the innings.
The home side punished Worcestershire with the bat, despite the Pears making early inroads with the ball.
Worcestershire restricted Somerset to 39-3 before Tom Banton and James Rew combined for a mammoth fifth-wicket stand.
After Tom Abell (52) scored a half-century, Rew joined Banton at the crease for a staggering 371-run partnership.
Banton (371) hit 58 boundaries en route to making the highest-ever score by a Somerset batter in first class cricket.
Long-term partner at the crease Rew (152) departed nearly 30 overs before Tom Hinley finally accounted for the wicket of Banton.
Somerset declared on 670-7 and put Worcestershire into bat as the hosts took five wickets on the penultimate day of play.
However, the Pears showed defiance to bat out 200 overs and take nine points from the fixture.
Worcestershire are next in action against Yorkshire on Friday, April 11 with play to begin at 11am at Headingley.
