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Worcestershire had a late Henry Cullen counter-offensive to thank as the youngster’s maiden first-class half-century kept the Pears in a closely fought contest against Northamptonshire on day one of the Rothesay County Championship clash at New Road. Reduced to 20-2 early on after losing the toss, Jake Libby’s assured fifty helped the hosts recover to 103-2, with Adam Hose’s 45 propping the Pears up. A middle-order slump saw Worcestershire fall to 150-9, but Cullen (64) produced a superb late riposte in a vital 10th wicket stand of 50 with Adam Finch, to help his team up to 200 all-out. The visitors survived a late eight over burst to close the day 16-0, with the Pears poised to launch a revitalised search for wickets on the second morning. Worcestershire returned to Rothesay County Championship Division Two action at New Road looking to bounce back from a narrow defeat at Canterbury last weekend. Greeted by drizzle and heavy cloud cover, the hosts lost a delayed toss and were invited to bat first by Northamptonshire, with skipper Brett D’Oliveira confirming that Usama Mir would come into the side in place of Beyers Swanepoel. In testing conditions, the home side were dealt a blow just two balls into the match when Dan Lategan was trapped LBW by Ben Sanderson. Jake Libby and Rehaan Edavalath looked to settle in for the Pears, but the latter was snared by the first ball of Luke Procter’s spell when the seamer clipped the top of his off-stump 45 minutes into the day. Adam Hose made his way to the middle with his team 20-2, and batted with caution alongside partner Libby, as the rebuild began for Worcestershire. Finding the boundary two times apiece, a resilient showing from the top-order pair saw the home side past fifty and to the lunch interval unscathed at 56-2. It was the opener who took the lead role as the afternoon session went on, playing a typically patient knock as the vice-captain made his way to a fourth County Championship half-century of the season from 91 deliveries. The hosts moved past 100 in the 34th over of the day when Hose cut a loose Sanderson ball through cover point for four, but the celebrations were cut-short as Libby’s superb innings was cut short moments later when he was pinned LBW by Procter for 55. New man Brett D’Oliveira was handed a lifeline just eight balls into his innings when an edge behind was put down by Calvin Harrison at second slip, but the captain’s second life was short-lived as he succumbed to Procter in his next over, caught by Louis Kimber at third slip for two. An injury to wicket keeper Lewis McManus saw Ricardo Vasconcelos take the gloves for the away side, and shortly after play resumed, spinner Harrison claimed the key wicket of Hose, who’s dogged 45 from 103 balls was curtailed by another catch by Kimber in the cordon. The Pears reached tea 122-5, with youngster Henry Cullen and Matthew Waite looking to dig the hosts out of a hole at New Road. Just 13 runs were added after the interval however, when Matthew Waite was beaten by Harry Conway and lost his off-stump as the hosts were reduced to 135-6, but whilst Cullen remained Worcestershire had a hope of mustering a competitive score. The loss of Tom Taylor (8) and Ben Allison (4) in consecutive overs did those hopes no favours, with overseas signing Usama Mir following suit soon after having been pinned LBW from the first ball he had faced. Cullen played a crucial late counter-offensive, adding 50 in a vital 10th wicket stand with Adam Finch (5 from 25), which saw the youngster register a maiden first-class half-century from 92 balls. The keeper-batter took the game by the scruff of the neck and guided his side up to 200 with a flurry of late boundaries, before he eventually fell victim to Yuzi Chahal, for a superb 64 from 105 balls that included five fours and two sixes. Despite a momentary delay for bad light, Ricardo Vasconcelos (13*) and Luke Procter (3*) batted through the final half hour of the day to repel the spritely Tom Taylor and Ben Allison to see the visitors through to the close unscathed.