Brett D'Oliveira had a fine day with bat and ball as Worcestershire Seconds strengthened their grip on the second day of the four-day clash with Middlesex Seconds at New Road.
D'Oliveira took four wickets with his leg spin and scored an unbeaten 87 as Worcestershire ended the day 253 runs in front with nine second innings wickets in hand.
Skipper Joe Leach and England Under-19 all-rounder Ed Barnard made the early inroads with the ball with three and two wickets respectively in reducing Middlesex to 50-5 in reply to Worcestershire's first innings total of 306.
The only major stand of the innings then occured between Ollie Rayner (58) and Robert White (34) who put on 94 for the sixtth wicket.
The partnership was ended by D'Oliveira dismissing Rayner and then White was run out by Barnard's throw from mid on.
D'Oliveira wrapped up the innings for 221 by claiming the last three wickets to finish with 4-29 from 14.5 overs to give Worcestershire a lead of 85.
Openers Joe Clarke and D'Oliveira set about building on this healthy position with a stand of 79 in 19 overs before the former was run out for 42 going for a single to mid on.
It was Middlesex's only success of the day as D'Oliveira and George Rhodes added 89 unbroken to take the home side to 168-1.
D'Oliveira's 133 ball innings contained three sixes and nine fours while Rhodes was unbeaten on 34.
Middlesex 2nd X1 (first innings)
SS Eskinazi b Barnard 23
RF Higgins lbw Leach 16
RH Patel c Clarke b Leach 0
A Balbirnie lbw Barnard 7
PR Stirling c Whiteley b Leach 0
OP Rayner lbw D'Oliveira 58
RG White run out 34
T Lace c Whiteley b D'Oliveira 16
FJB Fairhead lbw D'Oliveira 27
HW Podmore not out 20
GS Sandhu lbw D'Oliveira 0
Extras 20
Total (all out) 221 in 64.5 overs
FOW: 30, 32, 49, 50, 50, 144, 154, 177, 221, 221.
Bowling
Leach 19-3-56-3
Russell 10-0-52-0
Barnard 14-4-29-2
Whiteley 5-2-26-0
Hepburn 2-0-14-0
D'Oliveira 14.5-6-29-4
Worcestershire 2nd X1 – second innings
JM Clarke run out 42
BL D'Oliveira not out 87
GH Rhodes not out 34
Extras 5
Total (for 1 wicket) 168 from 42 overs.
FOW: 79
