Khurram Shahzad starred with a sensational six-wicket haul as Worcestershire bowled Warwickshire out for 184, before finishing 31-0 on a superb second day of Rothesay County Championship action for the Pears at Edgbaston.
Ethan Brookes started the day in memorable fashion, recording his highest ever first-class score courtesy of a sublime 140 that helped his side add 71 to the overnight total, finishing 333 all-out.
Seamer Khurram then showed all of his red-ball qualities as he ripped through the Warwickshire top-order, reducing the hosts to 16-3 at lunch, before finishing with figures of 6-42 as he helped Worcestershire dismiss their opponents with a 149-run lead.
Gareth Roderick and Jake Libby then batted through the final 17 overs of the day in faultless fashion, as the visitors ended 31-0, with a lead of 180 heading into day three.
In similar conditions to the ones that had greeted the visitors 24-hours previously, Worcestershire arrived at Edgbaston on the morning of day two underneath dark clouds and a floodlit outfield, eager to pass the 300-run milestone.
Ethan Brookes (80*) and Adam Finch resumed for Worcestershire, with all eyes on the former-Bear, Brookes, who was closing in on a fine century.
Having batted astutely throughout the afternoon on day one in examining conditions, Brookes made his way into the nineties with some expansive drives to the short-side of the ground. The 24-year-old all-rounder, who has been in a superb vein of form across all-formats this season, was soon rewarded for his exemplary innings when he went to three-figures in style.
Dispatching a length ball into the Hollies stand, the outburst of ecstasy was palpable from Brookes, who raised his arms aloft before kissing the badge on his helmet, in a timely reminder to all those inside Edgbaston of his talents, as the Pears star registered his second first-class century.
Adam Finch batted with diligence at the other end, as the pair raised their fifty partnership, before Brookes launched an assault on Bears bowler Dan Mousley, nailing his three overs for 34, depositing the ball into the stands four-times, before playing one big shot too many and top-edging a ball to extra-cover, where he was eventually dismissed for a career-best 140.
When the final Worcestershire wicket fell, the Pears had registered 333 and put themselves firmly in the contest.
The buoyant mood was re-established just 14 balls into the Warwickshire innings, when Pears red-ball debutant Khurram Shahzad sent Rob Yates’ off-stump cartwheeling with an in-swinging delivery that castled off-stump.
The Pakistani international seamer was wheeling away in delight in his next over, when he compounded Dan Mousley’s forgettable morning by having him caught behind, as Worcestershire reduced the hosts to 5-2.
Adam Hose was unable to cling onto a chance low down to his right with Zen Malik on just two off Khurram again, but the overseas signing did not have to wait long for his third wicket of a memorable spell, when Alex Davies felt the pressure having not got off the mark in 24-balls, as he attempted a pull shot off a ball that was too full and could only succeed in chopping on to his own stumps.
Khurram’s first spell in four-day cricket for the Pears had set his side off in spectacular fashion, yielding outstanding figures of 6-2-7-3, when lunch was called.
The momentum continued into the afternoon session, as Malik departed – caught by Hose at first slip off the bowling of the relentless Khurram, as his four wickets had sent Warwickshire spiralling to 26-4.
Former Pear Ed Barnard was the new man in, as he and Australian Beau Webster came together looking to lead some sort of Warwickshire resurgence.
That lasted just under 12 overs, before the 40-run stand was brought to end by Adam Finch, who removed Barnard with a fast, straight delivery that squared up the batter, forcing him to chip the ball back to Finch who claimed a simple caught and bowled.
Webster and Kai Smith batted on through the gloomy afternoon skies, as Webster went to fifty and the Bears past 100 in the meantime – with the visitors’ progress checked ever so slightly.
The deficit was reduced to 218 by the home side, before the introduction of loan-signing Bertie Foreman, who came up with the crucial moment for his side.
Just five balls into his spell, with Webster seemingly in no trouble at all, the batter skipped down the track looking to heave the ball into the stands – only to totally miscue his effort and chip the ball into the safe hands of Brookes at mid-off, with Warwickshire in serious trouble at 115-6 and Worcestershire’s bowlers beginning to think about the follow-on target, which was still 68-runs away.
Upon resumption from the tea interval, Khurram was soon celebrating his fifer, as Corey Rocchiccioli had a rush of blood to the head and played a wild pull shot from a well-directed bouncer, straight to Foreman, who was stationed as the only fielder out in the deep on the vast leg-side boundary, who took a good catch to strengthen the Pears grip on the match.
Khurram, claimed his sixth wicket and reduced Warwickshire to 153-8 in his next over, as he pinned Ethan Bamber LBW without scoring, before Finch returned with gusto to remove the stubborn resistance of Smith (68) and Hannon-Dalby as he ended with figures of 3-40.
Having bowled the home side out for 184, Khurram led his side from the field with exceptional figures of 16-2-42-6, before Worcestershire’s batters re-emerged shortly after looking to build on their 149-run lead.
Gareth Roderick (16*) and Jake Libby (15*) then batted in resolute fashion, to see their side through to 31-0 at stumps, capping off a fine day of County Championship cricket for the away side.
