Worcestershire Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira made a triumphant return after injury as his side strengthened their grip on the Vitality County Championship Division One bottom two encounter with Kent at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
D’Oliveira struck 97 off 90 balls and his positive approach enabled Worcestershire to seize the momentum and establish a first innings advantage of 276.
It was his first knock since missing the entire Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign to have extensive rehab on a shoulder problem which has troubled him for the past 12 months.
D’Oliveira came in at 201-4 and batted with great freedom on a pitch offering assistance to the seamers.
He received excellent support in two partnerships both worth 85 runs in 16 overs, initially from Adam Hose and then Ethan Brookes who also played fluently in scoring his maiden half century for Worcestershire.
A career best 43 from number 10 Adam Finch then shepherded Worcestershire to four batting points.
Rob Jones had batted with great application during the early part of the day to help lay the foundations for D’Oliveira’s assault.
Kent debutant Akeem Jordan, who until recently was playing for West Bromwich Dartmouth in the Birmingham and District Premier League, finished with 5-97 from 26.1 overs.
Kent lost two wickets in their second innings before the close but an unbeaten 80 from Tawanda Muyeye carried them to 104-2 – still 172 runs in arrears.
Worcestershire resumed on 137-2 and Jordan struck an early blow for the visitors when Gareth Roderick (63) nicked a delivery which moved away and was caught behind.
It was another fine knock by the opener in challenging conditions for batting and he faced 154 balls, batted for more than three and a half hours and struck eight boundaries.
Jones looked in good touch and cut George Garrett for four and then turned Jordan off his legs for another boundary.
A square drive to the ropes by Hose at Grant Stewart’s expense eased Worcestershire into a first innings lead
The fourth wicket pair showed plenty of determination and application on a wicket offering encouragement to the bowlers.
Jones looked set to complete an excellent and deserved half century but on 49 he fell to a superb catch by Jack Leaning
He pushed hard at a delivery from Joey Evison and edged to Leaning who held onto the chance at second slip at full stretch away to his right at 201-4.
D’Oliveira immediately seized the initiative with a succession of boundaries.
He pulled Ogborne and Evison for fours and used his feet to spinner Matt Parkinson to cover drive him to the ropes.
D’Oliveira had raced onto a run a ball unbeaten 31 by lunch with Hose also making a solid 27 not out.
With the second new ball due in six overs after lunch, D’Oliveira greeted the resumption with a flood of boundaries.
He cover drove Evison and Parkinson for boundaries and cut the latter for another four on his way to a superb 46 ball half century.
Hose provided the ideal supporting role during a partnership of 85 in 16 overs but after making 39 he top edged a pull at Jordan and was taken at fine leg.
But new batter Brookes sustained the tempo in support of D’Oliveira in completing his fifty off 59 deliveries.
D’Oliveira looked set for the century he richly deserved but on 97 he attempted to cut Parkinson and picked out backward point.
His 90 ball knock contained 15 fours after another partnership of 85 in 16 overs.
Brookes also fell to Parkinson although he was unfortunate as he attempted a sweep and the ball bounced up onto his elbow and then rolled onto the stumps.
Tom Taylor struck a quickfire 20 before he and Joe Leach went lbw to Jordan and Ogborne respectively.
But Finch ensured a fourth batting point for Worcestershire when he cut Parkinson to the boundary in the 107th over.
The pace bowler lofted Jordan for a maximum over deep mid-wicket before he was bowled attempting another big hit.
Taylor almost broke through in his first over of Kent’s second innings.
Tawanda Muyeye on nought edged just short of third slip but was then dropped at gulley off the next delivery from Taylor.
But the Worcestershire all-rounder was then responsible for the first Worcestershire success with the run out of Ben Compton (0).
He pushed Joe Leach gently towards mid off but Taylor pounced to run out Compton at the non striker’s end.
Muyeye decided attack was the best policy and his half century contained one six and eight fours.
But then captain Daniel Bell-Drummond, who scored just five in a partnership of 62 with Muyeye, was bowled after offering no shot to Finch.
Jack Leaning on 15 survived a sharp caught and bowled chance shortly before the close.
