Eighteen wickets fell on the opening day of Worcestershire's Second Eleven Championship clash with MCC Universities at Kidderminster.
Worcestershire were indebted to a a rare half century from paceman Chris Russell as they were bowled out for 177.
Then Josh Tongue impressed with a three wicket blast with the new ball as MCCU closed on 225-8.
Worcestershire elected to bat after skipper Alexei Kervezee won the toss and only keeper Alex Milton (35) of the top six made a sizeable contribution.
The home side were 105-8 at one stage with Andrew Westphal (3-38) doing the early damage and Kamau Leverock (3-31) making inroads into the middle-late order.
But Russell struck 55 off 54 balls with a six and nine fours and share in a ninth wicket stand of 48 with Charlie Morris (14).
Tongue then showed why he had been included in the Worcestershire squad for the current Specsavers County Championship clash with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
He reduced Northants to 18-3 before Charles Lowen (90 off 103 balls with 18 fours) and Matthew Norris (31) added 123 in 30 overs for the fourth wicket.
Spinner Ben Twohig dismissed both of them and four wickets fell for 22 runs but Calvin Dickinson, who played for Worcestershire Seconds last summer, hit an unbeaten 50 from 55 balls with one six and nine fours.
Dickinson, who also played against Worcestershire for Oxford MCCU at The Parks in April, earned his side a 48 run lead by the close.
WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS – FIRST INNINGS
Kervezee c Azad b Westphal 4
Westbury lbw Westphal 11
Dell c Azad b Lilley 6
Hepburn b Westphal 0
Milton b Leverock 35
Malik c Bullen b Leverock 21
Twohig c Cullen b Lilley 11
Tongue lbw Leverock 0
Russell b McIver 55
Morris c Bullen b Lilley 14
Scrimshaw not out 1
Extras 19
Total (all out) 177 in 48.5 overs
FOW: 6, 27, 27, 36, 76, 91, 95, 105, 153, 177
BOWLING
Westphal 11-4-38-3
Lilley 19-7-58-3
Grundy 5-2-25-0
Leverock 11-2-31-3
McIver 2.5-0-15-1
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MCC UNIVERSITIES – FIRST INNINGS
Bullen b Tongue 16
Azad lbw Tongue 0
Cullen lbw Tongue 0
Lowen b Twohig 90
Norris b Twohig 31
Dickinson not out 50
McIver run out 2
Leverock c Kervezee b Morris 4
Lilley c Malik b Russell 13
Grundy not out 5
Extras 14
Total (for 8 wckets) 225 in 53 overs
FOW: 7, 7, 18, 141, 152, 159, 163, 215
BOWLING
Tongue 11-4-39-3
Morris 14-1-58-1
Scrimshaw 3-0-20-0
Russell 8-1-36-3
Hepburn 6-1-13-0
Twohig 11-0-49-2
