Centurion Daryl Mitchell continued his liking for the Hampshire attack as he and Joe Clarke led a splendid Worcestershire fightback in the LV = County Championship clash at New Road.
Australian paceman Jackson Bird picked up three wickets in three overs to reduce Worcestershire 25-3 after electing to bat.
But Mitchell and Clarke added 142 for the fourth wicket in 45 overs before the latter was dismissed for a career best 70 from 136 balls with 10 fours.
Mitchell went onto complete his third century in his last four Championship matches against Hampshire from 213 balls with 13 boundaries.
At the close Mitchell was unbeaten on 105 and Ben Cox not out six as Worcestershire reached 228-5 from 79 overs.
It was Mitchell's 21st first class hundred of his career and when on 96 he also completed 9,000 first class runs.
The 31-year-old's first three scoring strokes were boundaries but then Bird started to make inroads into the innings.
Richard Oliver, yesterday's batting hero for Worcestershire Rapids in the NatWest T20 Blast win over Durham Jets, was trapped lbw for three.
In his next over, Bird accounted for Worcestershire's leading Championship run-getter in Tom Fell (0) who edged a ball that bounced through to keeper Adam Wheater who held a low catch to his right.
Bird struck again as the recalled Tom Kohler-Cadmore offered no shot and was bowled for a single.
The bowler had figures of 3-4 in 12 balls before Clarke got off the mark with an on drive for three at his expense.
He then flicked Gareth Berg off his legs for a boundary to bring up the 50 in the 12th over and repeated the shot against Bird.
Clarke collected two fours in an over from Bird and four wides from James Vince completed a 50 partnership in 11 overs.
Mitchell went to his half century with a cover drive for four off Vince – his 10th boundary – from 71 balls.
There was a five over delay for bad light but when the players returned a two by Clarke off spinner Danny Briggs raised the century stand in 29 overs.
He went to his 50 in the final over before tea from 96 deliveries with eight fours.
Mitchell and Clarke continued to score freely after the interval before Clarke popped up a catch to Sean Terry at short leg off Briggs with Worcestershire then 167-4.
Then Brett D'Oliveira (19), making his first Championship appearance of the season, helped Mitchell add 49 in 21 overs before edging Wheal to Vince at second slip.
