Thieves raiding the main members pavilion at New Road have made off with medals and artefacts that had belonged to former England and Worcestershire allrounder Basil D’Oliveira. The items, which included D'Oliveira's Man of the Match medal from the 1973 Benson and Hedges Cup final against Kent at Lord's, a silver goblet and a presentation card, were taken from a display highlighting the South African-born D'Oliveira's distinguished career.

"These items are of great sentimental value,” Damien D'Oliveira, Basil’s son who is himself a former Worcestershire player and now the county's academy director, told Press Association Sport. "We were asked by the county's Heritage Society to lend them for a display in the pavilion during the winter. It is a shame someone has done this. The items are not of great value financially and we hope they will be returned."