Worcestershire collected maximum bowling points after dismissing Nottinghamshire for 276 and obtaining a first innings lead of 160 on day three of the LV=Insurance County Championship match at New Road.
The County picked up 10 wickets today for 177 runs in just two sessions after Nottinghamshire had resumed on 99-0 in reply to their 436 all out.
Charlie Morris delivered a decisive burst of three wickets in three overs during the morning session to help the Worcestershire attack establish a grip they rarely relinquished.
Club Captain Joe Leach, overseas signing Alzarri Joseph and spinner Brett D’Oliveira also picked up two wickets apiece in an outstanding performance.
Worcestershire opted to enforce the follow on with four full sessions of the game remaining and Nottinghamshire openers Ben Slater and Haseeb Hameed put on 87 without being parted by the close.
It was Leach who had opened the bowling this morning from the Diglis End and single to Hameed completed the century opening stand with Slater.
Spin was introduced immediately into proceedings from the New Road via D’Oliveira who had earned praise from Bowling Coach Alan Richardson for his performance in the opening two games.
D’Oliveira made the first breakthrough of the day when Slater (45) went for an expansive drive and edged through to Daryl Mitchell who held onto a sharp chance at slip.
The spinner wheeled away in delight after breaking the opening stand with 115 on the board.
Joseph came into the attack in place of Leach and dismissed Ben Duckett (5) with the final delivery of his first over of the day thanks to an excellent catch by Ed Barnard.
The left hander had his bat a long way from his body when he sliced his drive low to point where Barnard parried the ball up and then held onto at the second attempt at 130-2.
Former Worcestershire batsman, Joe Clarke, had a let off on eight after coming down the wicket when Leach put down a chance at mid-on off D’Oliveira.
It did not prove a costly drop as Morris came into the attack and struck three times in successive overs.
Clarke (27) was undone by an in-ducker and was clean bowled and then Lyndon James (4) went lbw to a swinging delivery.
It became 172-5 when Steven Mullaney (2) shouldered arms to Morris and was bowled.
Morris had taken three wickets in 15 balls and by lunch had impressive figures of 15-5-24-3 with Nottinghamshire on 192-5 from 76 overs.
The attack was continued in the immediate pre lunch session by Barnard and Morris as Worcestershire sought to make further decisive inroads into the visitors batting line-up.
Former England opener H ameed completed an excellent first hundred in first class cricket for two years when he turned Leach on the off side for two. It came from 268 balls and contained nine fours.
A leg glance for four by Hameed off Leach brought up a half century stand with Tom Moores from 69 balls.
Moores was the more aggressive of the pair and his 68 ball fifty contained 46 in boundaries from three sixes and seven fours.
He picked up successive boundaries off D’Oliveira to move onto 72 but the leg spinner had his revenge with the very next ball.
The left hander tried to hit D’Oliveira over mid-wicket but only succeeded in skying the ball to Leach who took a well judged catch at deep mid off.
It ended a partnership of 89 with Hameed and Worcestershire strengthened their grip in the next over.
Without any addition to the score, Liam Patterson-White (0) played across the line and was lbw to Leach who collected a deserved first scalp of the innings.
Leach also brought an end to Hameed’s fine knock on 111 when he looked to play a late cut and instead feathered a catch to the alert Ben Cox. His 304 ball knock contained 10 fours and had held the Nottinghamshire innings together.
The innings was wrapped up with two wickets in two balls.
Zak Chappell (0) was run out after Luke Fletcher called him through for a quick single and he failed to beat Daryl Mitchell’s quick throw from mid wicket back to Riki Wessels.
Then Joseph proved too quick for Dane Paterson who was bowled for a first ball duck.
Leach and Morris took the new ball when Nottinghamshire went back into bat immediately after tea and with a sizeable task in front of them to salvage the game.
The duo and first change Barnard gave them run-scoring opportunities as only 14 came from the first 10 overs.
Slater and Hameed took few risks against some accurate bowling and their half century stand occupied 136 deliveries.
Leach rotated his bowlers with seven called upon during the final session but they were unable to make a breakthrough before the close.
Slater was unbeaten on 45 and Hameed 37 not out.
