Worcestershire will resume their LV=Insurance County Championship top three encounter against Glamorgan with a lead of 241 after 18 wickets fell on the second day at New Road.
They gained a first innings advantage of 114 after Logan van Beek followed up yesterday’s half-century with 4-43 and Dillon Pennington continued his recent good form in red ball cricket with another three wickets.
But the entire bowling unit, also containing Joe Leach and on loan Ben Allison, formed a formidable combination on a pitch still offering encouragement to the seamers under a baking hot sun.
It was a highly disciplined performance by the four seamers to secure three bowling bonus points.
Opener Jake Libby and Azhar Ali then consolidated Worcestershire’s advantage with the bat during a marathon final session of 50 overs.
They batted sensibly to help extend the overall lead in adding 81 in 29 overs.
But a career best 4-27 from Glamorgan left armer Jamie McIlroy sparked a late flurry of wickets.
Glamorgan resumed on three for nought on a blistering hot day and Worcestershire’s leading wicket-taker Leach struck two early blows to take his first-class tally for the season to 43.
The second ball of the morning accounted for Ed Byrom who pushed forward and Adam Hose snaffled the opportunity away to his right at first slip.
Former Worcestershire Academy player Zain ul Hassan departed after a similar stroke with keeper Gareth Roderick accepting the chance.
Leach’s new ball partner Pennington dismissed nightwatchman James Harris who went lbw to a delivery angled in to leave Glamorgan on 27-3.
Sam Northeast survived a straightforward chance at mid-wicket off van Beek but added only two more before he prodded at a delivery from Pennington and was pouched by Jake Libby at third slip.
Van Beek picked up his maiden Championship wicket for Worcestershire as Colin Ingram drove hard at the Dutch international and Libby again made no mistake.
Kiran Carlson experienced a difficult time, surviving two hard chances and being hit on the helmet by a short ball from Pennington.
But the first over after lunch brought about his downfall as he took one hand off the bat and hit on loan Essex seamer Ben Allison to cover.
Chris Cooke and Billy Root featured in the only substantial partnership of the innings in adding 62 in 14 overs before the last four wickets fell for seven runs in 26 balls.
Van Beek ended their resistance when Cooke was caught behind off an away swinger and in his next over Ben Kellaway perished at second slip.
Timm van der Gugten, who needed a runner after suffering a hamstring injury yesterday, departed in the same manner off Pennington before Jamie McIlroy was yorked by van Beek to wrap up the innings.
The all-rounder finished with 4-42 to follow on from yesterday’s half century with Pennington (3-43), Leach (2-39) and Allison (1-33) forming a formidable unit.
When Worcestershire batted Gareth Roderick (0) was caught by keeper Chris Cooke off the first ball of the innings from McIlroy.
Libby and Azhar then joined forces and saw off the new ball before their partnership flourished.
McIlroy returned to the attack to account for Azhar (39) – caught behind – and Libby (40) was undone by a ball of extra bounce which he nicked to at first slip.
Jack Haynes (10) drove at McIlroy and was taken at second slip.
Adam Hose (16) shouldered arms and was bowled by Harris, Ul-Hassan trapped Kashif Ali (5) lbw and then castled Van Beek (0) after he offered no stroke.
Harris also beat the defensive push of Allison (0) but Brett D’Oliveira and Leach negotiated the final overs.
