Worcestershire Under-19s will take a 124 run lead with two second innings wickets remaining into the final day of the three-day match with Northamptonshire Under-19s at Desborough.
Jujhar Johal picked up four wickets as the home side were bowled out for 277 – a lead of just 19 – as their last five wickets went down for 36 runs.
It was a fine fightback as Northants had stood on 124-1 at one stage in reply to Worcestershire's first innings total of 258.
But then Worcestershire ended the day on 143-8 with the top seven in the order all reaching double figures but no-one topping 30.
Northants had resumed this morning on 138-4 and reached 241-5.
Johal removed top scorer B. Claydon at that juncture for 76 off 134 balls with 15 boundaries and polished off the lower order.
He finished with 4-57 from 24.3 overs and Ryan Wheldon 3-81.
Callum Lea, who had scored an unbeaten 79 in the first innings, was promoted to open second time around.
He again top-scored with 28 but wickets fell at regular intervals.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE SECONDS – FIRST INNINGS CONTINUED
(overnight 138-4 from 35 overs)
Claydon b Johal 76
Thomas c Wilcox b Wheldon 16
King not out 38
W. Heathfield c Herridge b Lloyd 5
Mohammed c Wiffen b Johal 1
T. Heathfield c Lloyd b Johal 6
Haddow lbw Johal 1
Extras 8
Total (all out) 277 in 96.3 overs
FOW CONTINUED: 194, 241, 254, 265, 275, 277
BOWLING
Cox 17-6-26-1
Wheldon 15-2-81-3
Finch 16-3-54-1
LLoyd 23-8-52-1
Johal 24.3-7-57-4
Green 1-0-2-0
WORCESTERSHIRE UNDER-19S SECOND INNINGS
Lea lbw Haddow 28
Green run out (Mohammed) 17
Johal lbw Haddow 10
Wilcox c and b Haddow 23
N. Hammond run out (Haddow) 13
Herridge lbw Home 13
Wiffen lbw Home 10
Lloyd c Sargeant b Home 2
Cox not out 6
Wheldon not out 0
Extras 21
Total (for 8 wickets) 143
FOW: 47, 57, 75,96, 110, 120, 129, 143
BOWLING
T. Heathfield 8-2-15-0
Mohammed 5-0-30-0
Home 29-15-41-2
Haddow 26-12-39-4
