Sports India

Zaheer Khan picked a five-wicket haul for Worcestershire to wrap up Gloucestershire on the second day allowing them with just five-run first innings lead in the four-day Division Two county championship cricket match on Friday.

The Indian paceman, who who gave an early breakthrough to his county side by removing openers Phil Weston (44) and Craig Spearman (15) even before allowing them to settle in the middle, came back to sent packing last batsman Stephen Adshead, when on 20.

Chasing Worcestershire’s first innings score of 271 after they elected to bat on the home ground, the visitors were all out for 276 in 102.1 overs to have a lead of only five runs.

Zaheer, who has been left out of the Indian team for tri-series in Sri Lanka, also scalped Ian Harvey (14) and Martyn Ball (0) which helped slowing down Gloucestershire’s run chase and returned 5 for 74 in 23.1 overs.

Zaheer’s previously big return was 11-wicket match haul, which included nine wickets in the first innings against Essex.