Josh Tongue was again amongst the runs and picked up a crucial wicket for Worcestershire on day two of the LV=Insurance County Championship match with Middlesex at New Road.
The pace bowler had struck a career-best 45 not out in last week’s innings victory over visiting Nottinghamshire.
He followed it up with an unbeaten 39 today as Worcestershire lifted their total from an overnight 167-8 to 225 all out in 82.5 overs.
Tongue demonstrated plenty of clean hitting and then dismissed former England opener Mark Stoneman as Middlesex reached 146 for two from 44 overs before the close.
When play got underway, Tongue square cut and on drove Tim Murtagh for boundaries and pulled Ryan Higgins for another four.
He had one slice of good fortune on 28 when dropped at extra cover off Ryan Higgins.
Dillon Pennington (13) provided invaluable support in helping him add 45 for the ninth wicket before he was lbw to Higgins after working to leg.
Toby Roland-Jones collected his fourth wicket of the innings when having Ben Gibbon (2) caught behind. He finished with 4-50 to take his wicket tally for the season to 67.
When Middlesex batted, Pennington gave Worcestershire the perfect start when Sam Robson played on without a run on the board.
Stoneman on ten then edged a delivery from Gibbon, but the chance was put down at second slip.
Stoneman went on to complete 1,000 first class runs in a campaign for the sixth time when he reached 11.
Worcestershire found it a challenge to bowl the right line on a consistent basis, and Stoneman and Pieter Malan brought up the 50 in 10.4 overs.
But runs were harder to come by after lunch, and Tongue made the second breakthrough.
Stoneman on 36 tried to get his hands out of the way of a delivery of extra bounce and gloved through to keeper Gareth Roderick.
Malan looked in good touch and collected a series of boundaries, although he was fortunate to inside edge Ed Barnard for four.
He brought up his 91 ball half-century with a pull for six off over backward square leg shortly before the rain set in.
