More to come from Pears' spinner Singh - Richardson

Worcestershire head coach Alan Richardson says there is "plenty more to come" from left-arm spinner Fateh Singh, following his career-best bowling figures that helped the Pears seal a thrilling five-wicket win over Gloucestershire.

In only this fourth first-class match, and third for Worcestershire, the 22-year-old took 5-74 to crack open the Gloucestershire second innings as the visitors slipped from 81-1 to 166-9 and were eventually dismissed for 185.

That left the Pears 87 to win on the final afternoon, which they reached, after a slight wobble, for the loss of five wickets.

Richardson said Singh's personal milestone was "brilliant" and added he was impressed he made the most of a helpful, final-day pitch at New Road.

"I think there's plenty more to come from him," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"[It was] a wicket that helped him and not something that's been on our radar at the start of the season - the last couple of years we played on wickets that have seamed around a lot and the games have been really quick.

"So this has been a bit of a surprise for us over the last two games that games have been going for long periods of time and spinners has been effective so it'd be really pleasing for Fateh to come in and have an impact in the second innings."

Singh, 22, joined Worcestershire from Nottinghamshire on a three-year contract in November 2024 after having a loan spell at New Road in the One-Day Cup that summer.

He made his first-class debut while on loan at Northamptonshire in September 2024 and played twice in the County Championship last season.

Singh has been used predominately in white-ball cricket by Worcestershire, appearing in 28 matches across T20 and List A games so far.

Richardson said he believed +Singh would continue to master his craft.

"With any cricketer, but certainly with spin, it's an evolution and there's a real art to it," he added.

"You've got to master that and a lot of stuff tells you spinners develop but it just takes time.

"Fats and a lot of young spinners around the country don't bowl a lot so for them to suddenly be thrust into a game and have to bowl 40 overs and try to win us a game can be incredibly taxing.

"I think Fateh can still bowl a lot better. There's a lot of stuff that was probably not quite where it needed to be but he also created opportunities for us."

Worcestershire's victory, their third in eight matches so far, took them 22 points behind second-placed Kent.

The Pears are not back in red-ball action until 20 August for the final block of six games with attention now turning back to the T20 Blast and then their defence of the One-Day Cup.