Worcestershire 441 for 9 (D'Oliveira 90, Hose 75, Libby 52, Milnes 4-81) lead Kent 196 (Milnes 50*, Hannon-Dalby 3-27) by 245 runs
A solid, collective batting display by Worcestershire piled the pressure on Kent on the second day of their Rothesay County Championship fixture at New Road.
In reply to 196, Worcestershire took their first innings to 441 for nine, led by captain Brett D'Oliveira's 90 (135 balls), Adam Hose (75, 112), Jake Libby (52, 73) and Matthew Waite (52 not out, 87). For Kent it was hard toil amid the tintinnabulations as the cathedral bells rang out long and loud across the sun-soaked ground and only the impressive Matt Milnes (four for 81) kept much of a brake on the batters.
The visitors' difficult day included an injury misfortune during the afternoon session when Ben Compton sustained a dislocated finger which has ruled him out of the rest of the match. England Under 19s batter Ben Dawkins has come into the team as an injury substitute.
Worcestershire resumed on the second morning on 94 for one and Kent's seamers began much more accurately than on the previous evening. They were rewarded with early wickets when Libby, having not added to his overnight score, was bowled by Milnes who then took a catch at point when Kashif Ali sliced a drive at Keith Dudgeon.
At 104 for three, the door was ajar for Kent, but Hose and D'Oliveira emphatically closed it with a partnership of 141 in 33 overs. Hose advanced to his half-century from 88 balls and D'Oliveira followed to his from 84 as they eased their side in front with seven wickets intact.
Again, it was Milnes who provided a lift for the flagging Kent side when he beat Hose's attempted swipe to uproot leg-stump. D'Oliveira was ten short of his 14th first-class century when he edged Mikey Cohen to second slip, but the captain departed having put his team in total command. Their advantage was increased by a perky stand of 42 in 12 overs between Gareth Roderick (40, 81) and Ethan Brookes before the latter edged Milnes and fell to an exceptional catch by Tawanda Muyeye, diving low at second slip.
Roderick was bowled by Joey Evison, the ball keeping a little low, and Beyers Swanepoel played on to Cohen, but Worcestershire then found yet another productive partnership. Ninth-wicket pair Waite and Tom Taylor (37, 64) worked the ball around intelligently to add 54 from 20 overs before the latter played on to Evison.
Kent have a lot of batting to do to avoid defeat, needing to occupy the crease for the best part of two days, though they can take some encouragement from a good pitch on which so many Worcestershire batters played without discomfort.
