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Worcestershire head coach Alan Richardson emphasizes the need for his team to maintain focus throughout the entire game following recent defeats. The Pears suffered a significant loss to Durham, collapsing in their second innings.
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Alan Richardson has been Worcestershire head coach since November 2022 [Getty Images]
Worcestershire head coach Alan Richardson says the manner of the defeats in their past two County Championship matches shows the importance of maintaining focus across the whole duration of the game and wants to see it improve.
The Pears crumbled to a nine-wicket defeat by Durham in their last outing, losing nine wickets for 38 runs in their second innings on the way to a crushing loss inside three days.
At one stage on day three Worcestershire were 53-0, a lead of 93, before Callum Parkinson (5-13) and England Test captain Ben Stokes (2-33) ripped through the home batting to dismiss them for 102.
"A session like that really does hurt you," Richardson told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
"We'll look back at that and must be really disappointed. I think just a lack of attention - it's a lack of precision, some really sloppy stuff going on."
The Durham loss followed a similar collapse, albeit from not such an advantageous position in the match, against Northamptonshire.
Still trailing by more than 200, the Pears were shot out by seamer Ben Sanderson's 7-31, as the home side cantered to an innings victory.
Alan Richardson highlighted the importance of maintaining focus for the entire game after the team's recent losses.
Worcestershire lost to Durham by nine wickets, collapsing from 53-0 to 102 all out in their second innings.
Callum Parkinson took 5 wickets for 13 runs, and Ben Stokes contributed with 2 wickets for 33 runs.
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Although Richardson put that result largely down to "an exceptional spell of bowling", he said the Durham game was another reminder that application has to always be there.
"As a collective, we have to probably look at and then as individuals make sure that we keep that attention to detail for longer periods of time," he said.
"I think that's the disappointing thing for me. It's a four-day game of cricket and so it will really challenge you and really test you and when you come back on the third day you have to do it again, you come back on the fourth day you have to do it again and if you don't you will pay the price.
"I think you have to look at the stuff that we do well and make sure that we really focus on that and give ourselves the confidence to be able to do that and no matter what distractions or pressures you put on that you keep focused.
"We have to pick ourselves up, for me the big challenge for all of us support staff and players is to make sure that we're as fresh as we can for Friday [against Lancashire]."