
Centuries from Gareth Roderick and Ethan Brookes propelled Worcestershire to a mammoth first innings score against Durham after a dominant days play saw the visitors close on 591-9.
Roderick picked up his 12th First Class century and a first of this Rothesay County Championship season on a lacklustre pitch after the morning session was washed out, the away side continued to pile on the runs throughout the day.
Brookes joined Roderick in the middle, and he picked up his fifty, while Roderick passed 150, but a double-wicket burst from Sam Conners halted the Pears’ momentum.
However, Brookes continued the onslaught and notched up three figures in just 134 balls as the Pears finished on 591 for nine at close.

Rain meant that play didn’t start until after the lunch break with 70 overs remaining in the day, with Roderick, unbeaten on 95, and nightwatcher Ben Gibbon resuming Worcestershire’s innings.
Gibbon continued his positive resistance work from the night previous as he frustrated the Durham bowlers and Roderick achieved his first century of the season, coming off 180 deliveries in fine fashion.
Gibbon played his strokes to keep the scoreboard ticking over, picking up a boundary on the offside off the bowling of Ghafari.
Conners almost got the breakthrough as Gibbon edged one on 28, but Emilio Gay couldn’t cling on to the chance at second slip.
Gibbon was out shortly after LBW for 33, but it was too late for Durham to register a second bowling point.
The Pears duo of Roderick and Brookes then guided the pears side to 400, however, Raine nearly had Brookes caught behind, but Ollie Robinson failed to cling onto a diving catch as Durham continued to give second chances.
The solid Roderick repost continued, frustrating the home side as he played a lovely dab off Will Rhodes to third region for four just before tea.
Roderick resumed after the interval as he slammed a Matthew Potts delivery through the covers for four, while Brookes produced a carbon copy in the same over.
The Pears keeper continued his vigil in the middle by punishing a Rhodes delivery, but Roderick offered a rare opportunity as Rhodes couldn’t cling on to a caught and bowled opportunity.
Milestones then followed for the visitors as Brookes passed fifty from 86 balls, while Roderick picked up his sensational 150 from 276 balls, showing signs of the form that has been hard to find over the course of a challenging season in Division One.
Brookes was dropped a second time, as he edged a ball on 57, but Robinson failed to cling on to the catch, and Brookes made him pay as he picked up the first six of the game with a firm punch down the ground.
Roderick finally fell for 151, as Conners got him LBW, his second of the match and he followed that up with the wicket of Matthew Waite for a three-ball duck.
Brookes continued, seemingly unphased by the dismissal, accumulating runs as he played his shots and took his side to 500.
Tom Taylor was granted a second life as he miscued one when he was on 15, but Gay failed to cling on to it, as Durham were made to pay for their missed chances.
Brookes then picked up his second ton of the campaign from 130 balls, a cameo that included 11 fours and one six, before he too departed for 100 as he was bowled by Potts, ending another fine innings from the all-rounder.
His team mate, Taylor, reached his fifty from just 54 balls as the momentum continued to grow for the Pears, with final pair Ben Allison and Taylor taking Worcestershire to the close and will resume unbeaten on 10 and 64 respectively on the final morning.