A highly responsible knock from captain Ross Whiteley and late explosive hitting from Josh Tongue and James Logan helped Worcestershire Seconds amass 466 all out on the second day of the Second Eleven Championship match with Somerset Seconds at Taunton Vale.
The County’s bowlers then took centre-stage with Tongue (three wickets) and Whiteley (two) again playing key roles after their earlier contribution with the bat as Somerset closed on 181-6 from 52 overs.
Whiteley had top-scored with 92 off 163 balls with 16 boundaries and, after resuming on 53, he accelerated today and added a further 39 off 49 deliveries to help Worcestershire secure four batting bonus points.
The all-rounder is thriving in the captaincy role with a trio of half centuries already for the Seconds this summer.
Then Tongue and triallist Logan, the former Yorkshire spinner, plundered 85 off just 21.5 overs for the last wicket.
Tongue became the fifth batsman in the innings to reach the half century mark.
Worcestershire resumed on 306-5 from 96 overs and a cover-drive for four by Whiteley off Sonny Baker brought up the 350 and the fourth point with 3.4 overs remaining of the 110 in which points can be accrued.
Zain Ul-Hassan (11) was caught down the legside off Ned Leonard who ended Whiteley’s fine knock by bowling him at 364-8.
Ed Bragg (6j) was caught behind to give Leonard another scalp but then came the late fireworks from Tongue and Logan.
Tongue was particularly aggressive, pulling and lofting straight down the ground successive deliveries from Matt Foster for six.
He also struck seven fours and raced onto 53 from 61 balls before he was bowled by George Drissell who last week was a team-mate of his when on trial for the County against Gloucestershire at Kidderminster.
Logan was left unbeaten on 39 from 77 balls with five boundaries when the innings came to an end.
Adam Finch made a quickfire breakthrough for Worcestershire with his second delivery with just two runs on the board.
Tom Lammonby, a century-maker at New Road in the Bob Willis Trophy last summer, edged a ball of extra bounce slanted across him before he had scored and keeper Alex Milton held the catch
Tongue delivered an opening six over spell in which he bowled Ben Green (14) after defeating his firm push.
He returned for a second five over burst and picked up two further scalps.
Ed Byrom (38) was caught behind by Alex Milton and then Will Smeed (12) went for a pull and holed out to Ed Bragg on the leg side boundary.
The wickets continued to tumble after Whiteley came into the attack.
Sam Young (15) hit a widish delivery straight to cover and in Whiteley’s next over James Rew (8) was plumb lbw.
Lewis Goldsworthy had time to complete a 97 ball half century before the close.
