County Championship: Jack Haynes' career-best 97 helps Worcestershire against Derbyshire

Worcestershire's Jack Haynes now has four first-class half-centuries to his name

Worcestershire batsman Jack Haynes raised his career-best score for the second time in three weeks as he hit 97 to help the Pears run up 336-7 against Derbyshire on day one at New Road.

But he disappointed the returning home fans by again falling just short of his maiden first-class hundred.

Haynes was well supported in the sunshine by Brett D'Oliveira (71) in a stand of 114 for the fifth wicket.

Ben Cox (49) and Ed Barnard (48 not out) earned two more batting points.

They added 88 for the seventh wicket as the Pears, reeling from two successive demoralising defeats, enjoyed arguably their best day of the summer.

A limited crowd of 870 masked supporters was welcomed back to New Road for the first time since September 2019.

But, after the shock of seeing Daryl Mitchell depart lbw to the very first delivery of the game from Sam Conners, they saw a run-filled day.

From 62-3, Haynes and the recalled Ross Whiteley steadied the innings with a patient stand of 53 before D'Oliveira came in to help speed up the run rate.

But Haynes missed out on three figures when he pulled a shortish delivery from Matt Critchley to hole out at deep square leg before D'Oliveira was caught at mid-on from a mistimed pull.

Cox and Barnard then scored freely against the second new ball - before Cox ended the day on a down turn in the final over when he was caught behind.

Worcestershire batsman Jack Haynes:

"I'm absolutely gutted to get out but it's nice to contribute and put a few runs on the board and we would have taken that score at the start of the day.

"It was one of those pitches where I wasn't middling much but the longer you bat, the better you do feel. Once you got through the start, runs came and it felt a little more comfortable.

"If you asked me on 97 where I wanted the ball, it would be just about there really. I mis-hit it a little bit and unfortunately found the man. That's the game. These things happen."

Derbyshire fast bowler Sam Conners:

"It has been a mixed day really. We started off really well but they got away a little bit with a few too many bad balls.

"We pulled it back with a couple of wickets and getting that late wicket of Ben Cox was handy.

"If we come back tomorrow morning and finish them off quickly, then it will be a good job done. But we are still going to have to bowl in the right areas. You can get away quite quickly, especially with a short boundary."