TOM Fell signed off from Worcestershire’s pre-season tour of Abu Dhabi with 114 runs on the second and final day with Essex at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Fell ended last season in the opener role in red-ball cricket and scored nearly half of his side’s runs against the 2017 county champions.

He struck 16 boundaries in his 183-ball knock before being caught behind off paceman Matt Coles.

Fell shared in an opening stand of 51 with George Rhodes (24 off 57 balls) before three wickets fell for six runs.

Wickets fell at steady intervals until Ed Barnard made 35 off 85 deliveries with four fours.

Ben Twohig ended unbeaten on 15 as the County were bowled out for 234 in 84.3 overs in reply to Essex’s first-day 264-8 in 91.

Charlie Morris (2-22 from 17 overs), Barnard (2-44 from 18) and Brett D’Oliveira had all picked up two wickets.

Both sides agreed to field for one day and bat for the other in gaining practice for the new campaign.

The County squad are now flying home after their two-week sojourn in the UAE which has mixed warm-weather training with white and red-ball cricket.

They will then continue their preparations for the new season with a three-day friendly against local rivals Warwickshire at Edgbaston from next Tuesday until Thursday.