Ricardo Vasconcelos struck an outstanding second century of the season as Northamptonshire took a 60-run lead over Worcestershire after day two of the County Championship Division Two match at Wantage Street.
It was a contrasting innings of watchful defence and crisp strokeplay, as Vasconcelos struck 18 boundaries in his 115, to observe his 127 towards Kent final month.
He was joined by Saif Zaib in a proactive fourth-wicket stand of 101 in 20 overs. County cricket’s main run-scorer final season, Zaib has had restricted alternatives to this point however seized his probability with a close to run-a-ball 75.
When the pair have been parted, James Gross sales (44) and George Bartlett (35) mixed in a telling unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 79 towards the brand new ball to push Northamptonshire in entrance.
They closed on 366-5, main by 60, as unhealthy gentle ended play early.
Tom Taylor (2-60) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby threatened all day for the Pears, discovering late swing with the second new ball, whereas Beyers Swanepoel additionally took two wickets.
Earlier, Northamptonshire resumed on 40-0 and shortly misplaced skipper Luke Procter when Taylor received one to carry sharply and hit the splice of the bat, the ball flying to second slip.
Calvin Harrison edged his first ball previous the slips to deliver up Northamptonshire’s 50 earlier than driving sweetly in Taylor’s subsequent over, and he and Vasconcelos have been progressing properly, including 43 off 55 balls, when Harrison inside-edged a Beyers Swanepoel supply onto his stumps.
Vasconcelos motored to fifty with three consecutive boundaries, crunching Swanepoel by the covers and pulling him behind sq.. He tucked into Adam Finch’s bowling too, happening on one knee to stroke him by cowl and enjoying an audacious uppercut over the slips.
He placed on 77 for the third wicket with Nathan McSweeney who initially discovered life tough throughout a probing spell from Waite. The Australian discovered launch, although, as he settled towards Finch, punching by additional cowl.
Hannon-Dalby and Taylor bowled nicely with the outdated ball after lunch, troubling each batters. Runs dried up, however Vasconcelos clipped by midwicket to deliver up Northamptonshire’s 150 within the fiftieth over.
McSweeney departed attempting to push the rating on after getting tied down. He had a giant swing to the lengthy boundary towards Swanepoel, Hannon-Dalby comfortably taking a excessive catch at advantageous leg.
Zaib virtually fell cheaply when he edged behind on 9, however keeper Gareth Roderick dived throughout first slip and wasn’t in a position to maintain on.
Zaib rapidly gained fluency, driving and punching by the covers, whereas Vasconcelos reached his century in type, smashing a large Waite half-volley in the identical path.
All the time sturdy towards spin, Zaib swept and reverse-swept Brett D’Oliveira to race to his half-century off 41 balls earlier than smashing seamer Ethan Brookes over midwicket.
However Brookes made the important thing breakthrough when he trapped Vasconcelos lbw shortly earlier than tea.
Worcestershire took the brand new ball after the break and shortly eliminated Zaib, caught behind off Taylor, enjoying a non-committal push.
Gross sales virtually performed on a few instances however collected three extremely convincing boundaries off one Hannon-Dalby over, together with an beautiful straight drive, as Northamptonshire moved previous 300.
Bartlett then put away a unfastened legside supply from Taylor to take the hosts into the lead earlier than driving Hannon-Dalby down the bottom.
Bartlett had a late scare when he chased a large one from Taylor, Brookes unable to carry a pointy excessive probability at second slip, however he responded by punching assuredly by cowl.
Gross sales was additionally dropped simply earlier than stumps, providing a tough probability to D’Oliveira at quick additional off Taylor.
Report by ECB Reporters’ Community, supported by Rothesay.
