Another clinical Worcestershire bowling performance helped them dismiss the visitors for 227, after a collapse saw them surrender a commanding position at 161-2.
Tom Taylor did the bulk of the damage for the hosts with figures of 4-37, after Sam Hain and Tom Latham had put the Bears in seemingly good health with respective half-centuries.
Jacob Duffy, Matthew Waite and Ethan Brookes all helped themselves to two wickets apiece, as the attack ripped through the visitors middle and lower order.
Jake Libby and Gareth Roderick then saw out a perfect finish to the days play, guiding their team to 53 without loss at stumps.
Day One Highlights vs Warwickshire
Worcestershire lost a second toss in succession, and they were invited to field first on a glorious morning at Visit Worcestershire New Road, confirming one change to their XI from last time out as Jacob Duffy, came in for Yadvinder Singh.
The hosts search for an early breakthrough didn’t last long, as Tom Taylor picked up the scalp of Rob Yates with his first ball of the match, as the opener nicked off to Gareth Roderick without scoring.
Taylor, continued his impressive recent form during a thorough examination of Tom Latham and Alex Davies, beating the bat and drawing an edge that went wide of the slip cordon during a pinpoint first spell.
Ben Allison continued to apply pressure from the New Road End, as used his height and pace to zip the ball off an enticing length throughout the morning session.
With Latham starting to settle into proceedings, Warwickshire made their way to beyond 50 as they looked to see things through to lunch without any further damage.
Hopes were dashed when the score reached 52 however, when the Bears’ Skipper, Davies, was trapped LBW by a nip-backer from the in-form Matthew Waite for 21.
As the lunch break drew nearer, the Pears’ bowling unit pressed for a third wicket, but resistance from Sam Hain and the not-out Latham, saw the visitors through to the end of the match’s first session at 65-2.
Upon resumption, the sun continued to beam down on a picturesque Visit Worcestershire New Road, and the home side took the field in search of a crucial wicket to end the stubborn Warwickshire resistance.
It was to no avail however, as the Bears brought up their 100 in the 38th over, with Latham 42 not out and Hain beginning to show his quality, expressing himself with some fabulous cricket shots.
The bowlers pressed on, with Jacob Duffy toiling hard, but it was Taylor who manufactured the Pears next best chance when a full-length delivery found the edge of Latham’s bat, with the ball flying to Rob Jones at second slip, but he couldn’t cling onto a tough one-handed effort at full stretch.
Soon after the half-chance went begging, both Warwickshire batters brought up their respective 50’s, with Ethan Brookes (11-2-33-2) introduced to the attack as Captain, Brett D’Oliveira hastened to change the momentum.
Hain began to express himself, as he launched a big six over midwicket, and followed it up the very next delivery with a boundary through the same region, as the signs looked ominous for the home side.
After another period of batting dominance, it was the birthday boy, Brookes, who eventually made the crucial breakthrough for his side, as he ended the repost of Latham.
After facing 153 balls for his 59, his time at the crease was ended when a full, away-swinging delivery drew the Kiwi into a booming drive, caressing his outside edge and landing safely into the gloves of Roderick behind the stumps.
With a renewed air of optimism around the ground, Worcestershire were all too aware that striking soon was imperative.
Brookes, was once again the man to answer the prayers of those inside Visit Worcestershire New Road, as he struck for a second time, when Beau Webster (2) played a loose drive and could only watch as the ball skewed off an outside edge, straight into the safe hands of Jake Libby at backward point, as the visitors were reduced to 166-4.
The murmur of ironic cheers that greeted Ed Barnard’s arrival to the crease needn’t have lasted long, as the former Worcestershire all-rounder came and went for a 12-ball duck, when Kiwi seamer, Duffy, found his compatriot, Henry Nicholls, at slip, via the edge of Barnard’s bat to bring an end to a forgettable stint in the middle and hand the initiative back to the hosts in the process.
The Pears ended the session the happier to the two sides, having reduced Warwickshire to 182-5, but still aware of the key man, Hain, who was unbeaten on 76.
The sun continued to glisten as the players re-entered field, but it shone brightly on those wearing Worcestershire colours.
In a mini collapse, the day’s momentum shifted back in the host’s favour, as Warwickshire fell from 182-5, to 227 all-out.
Hain and new partner, Malik, could only add 13 runs after the interval, before Hain’s impressive knock of 86 was ended by Waite, who had the away-sides’ lynchpin caught by Rob Jones at slip.
Tom Taylor (15-1-37-4) then dismissed Kai Smith without scoring, before removing the lively Zen Malik after a swash-buckling 34, when he was pinned LBW by the seamer.
Ethan Bamber perished the very next ball in the same fashion, but before Taylor could approach his hat-trick ball at the start of his next over, the innings was brought to a close as Jacob Duffy had Chris Woakes caught-behind for eight.
The Pears’ bowling unit once again displayed superb fight, to enforce an almighty Bears collapse that saw them fall from 161-2 to 227 all-out.
With a tricky hour left to navigate, Jake Libby and Gareth Roderick set about laying the platform.
The pair started with an unwavering confidence, scoring freely and not offering any chances of note as they raced to 50 without loss in some style.
Libby (39*) and Roderick (13*) batted through a testing final few overs of play, to ensure their side head into the day two the happier of the two sides.
