Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira hit a fine 63 to help steer Worcestershire to two important batting points in the battle for promotion on the third day of the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter with Durham at New Road.
D’Oliveira came to the wicket at 179-4 after the loss of two quick wickets and Adam Hose having to retire with a wrist injury.
He batted with great fluency in completing a 58 ball half century and had lifted the total past the 300 mark before his dismissal to a delivery from Matt Parkinson which turned sharply.
Kashif Ali provided invaluable support during a fifth wicket partnership of 69 and then loan signing, Ben Allison, again showed his value with the bat.
Worcestershire were eventually dismissed for 313 with Hose’s injury meaning he will take no further part in the game.
Worcestershire resumed their first innings on 104-1 after a second day washout.
Jake Libby had completed 1,000 Championship runs for the season on day one and he cover drove the fifth ball of the day from Vishwa Fernando for four to complete an excellent 85-ball half century.
The opener was dismissed on 57 by a delivery from Ben Raine which nipped away and was caught behind by keeper Ollie Robinson.
Azhar Ali collected three boundaries in quick succession off Raine while new batter Jack Haynes looked in good nick and raced to 35 off 47 balls with six boundaries.
Durham seamer Paul Coughlin struck in successive overs with Haynes bowled by a delivery angled back in and Azhar (25) caught at cover off the back foot.
In addition, Hose was struck on the left fore-arm by Coughlin and was replaced in the middle by Kashif Ali.
Immediately after Azhar’s dismissal, rain drove the players from the field for an early lunch.
A three and a quarter hour delay followed, resulting in the loss of 40 overs, before play resumed at 3.30pm.
Kashif and new batter D’Oliveira, then scored freely against Raine and Coughlin during the evening session.
D’Oliveira cover drove Coughlin to the ropes and then steered him down to third man to bring up the 200 in the 54th over.
The partnership was worth 69 in 14 overs when Kashif nicked Bas de Leede to first slip and he then trapped fellow Netherlands international Logan van Beek lbw.
But D’Oliveira continued to score freely and brought up his half century from 58 balls with seven fours.
He had made 63 off 75 balls when bowled by a fine delivery from Parkinson.
Allison (22) and Dillon Pennington (0) were dismissed in the space of four balls by Raine to wrap up the innings.
Durham reached 10-0 off four overs before bad light halted play and Worcestershire will now focus on trying to pick up as many bowling points as possible on the final day.
