WORCESTERSHIRE may have fallen to another defeat in LV= County Championship Division One but they have escaped the horror Edgbaston pitch without serious injury.

The New Road side lost by 218 to Warwickshire this morning after on-loan wicketkeeper Ben Scott retired hurt on 31 after taking a blow to the hand on another farcical day in this championship derby.

With Vikram Solanki already retired hurt following a blow to head yesterday and Alan Richardson not batting due to a sore leg, the County were officially all out for 109 after losing five wickets.

Warwickshire will appeal their eight-point deduction over the poor pitch rating, but Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes slammed the wicket calling it unfit.

He said: “It was a farcical end to what has been a farcical game. The pitch panel passed the wicket as poor, that’s there is opinion and they are experienced guys, but my view would have been different - I would have voted it as unfit.

“If you asked the question is that fit for first-class cricket I would have to say no.

“I played on a wicket which was as bad as this one in Trinidad for England ‘A’, but in my opinion I can safely say that is probably the worst wicket I have seen in professional cricket in England.”

Full report and more reaction in Monday’s Worcester News