STUMPS DAY TWO: MIDDLESEX 98; WORCESTERSHIRE 329-3*
Worcestershire Tom Fell set a career-best against Middlesex for the second time this season as the visitors came under pressure at New Road in their bid to hold on to the Division One runners-up spot in the LV= County Championship.
With Tom Kohler-Cadmore only three runs short of a maiden hundred, Worcestershire had reached 329 for three, a lead of 231 when bad light ended the second day only 13 balls after tea.
Having scored 143 in the previous meeting at Uxbridge in June, Hillingdon-born Fell not only advanced his highest career score to 167 not out but became the youngest player to reach 1,000 runs in Division One this season.
Other than taking two wickets inside the first hour, it was a day of toil for Middlesex's bowlers as the two 21-year-olds put relegated Worcestershire on course for a successful send-off to Division Two.
Batting with composure, style and only the occasional false stroke, they put on an unbroken 219 in 59 overs, comfortably the county's highest partnership in a season where they have often competed well but were able to win no more than two games.
As flatmates in Worcester as well as record-breaking batsman in schools cricket, Fell at Oakham and Kohler-Cadmore at Malvern, they have more in common than a hunger for runs. They work well together and it showed in the way they dominated a strong, if slightly off-key, seam attack through an afternoon session of 131 runs in 35 overs.
This included half-an-hour with Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones using the second new ball. The fourth-wicket partners both scored half-centuries in last week's defeat at Durham where Kohler-Cadmore regained his first-team place when Alex Gidman broke a finger in fielding practice the day before the game.
After routing Middlesex for 98 on the opening day, Worcestershire were already in a promising position when resuming at 79 for one but first they had to deal with a double setback as the visitors secured their first bowling bonus point.
D'Oliveira (38) looked dejected when he toe-ended a pull off Neil Dexter to mid-on and Murtagh was rewarded at the end of one of the more eventful overs.
Joe Clarke put Worcestershire ahead with a four through the covers and a similar shot by Fell completed his half-century. In all they took 14 runs from four balls before Clarke, on 12, was superbly caught by Ollie Rayner, diving to his right at second slip.
Fell reached his third century of the season from 167 balls with a push for one off Roland-Jones and set a new career-best score from a top edge, one of 25 fours to go with a pull for six off James Harris. Kohler-Cadmore has hit 11 boundaries so far.
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TEA DAY TWO: MIDDLESEX 98; WORCESTERSHIRE 322-3*
Worcestershire batsman Tom Fell completed 1,000 LV = County Championship runs in a season for the first time and achieved a career best score at Middlesex's expense for the second time in 2015 at New Road.
Fell, who became the youngest player to reach the landmark in Division One this summer when he reached 87, went to three figures off 167 balls with 15 fours and a six early in the afternoon session.
The 21-year-old's highest score of 143 had been registered at Uxbridge in June and he went past that with a top edged pull for four off Toby Roland-Jones shortly after the second new ball had been taken.
It was one of his rare false strokes in a composed innings full of flowing drives but Tom Kohler-Cadmore was not overawed by his flat-mate in a double century stand for the third wicket in 54 overs.
Worcestershire resumed on 79-1 after dismissing Middlesex for 98 yesterday and Brett D'Oliveira (38) departed in the first over when he pulled Neil Dexter to mid on.
Joe Clarke (12) fell victim to a superb low catch by Ollie Rayner at second slip off Tim Murtagh in an over that cost by 14 runs but after that the Middlesex attack toiled without reward against Fell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
By tea Fell had moved onto 164 and Kohler-Cadmore (93 not out) was in sight of his maiden Championship century on in a partnership so far worth 212 out of 322-3 - a lead of 224.
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LUNCH DAY TWO: MIDDLESEX 98; WORCESTERSHIRE 191-3*
Tom Fell became the youngest player to complete 1,000 runs in Division One of the LV = County Championship this season as Worcestershire took control on day two against Middlesex at New Road.
The 21-year-old went to the milestone for the first time with a pull for two off Middlesex paceman James Harris which moved him onto 87. The next youngest player to reach four figures in Division One this season was Scott Borthwick, 25, of Durham.
Worcestershire resumed on 79-1 after dismissing Middlesex for 98 yesterday and Brett D'Oliveira (38) departed in the first over when he pulled Neil Dexter to mid on.
Joe Clarke (12) looked in good form but fell victim to a superb low catch by Ollie Rayner at second slip off Tim Murtagh in an over that cost by 14 runs. Fell, who resumed on 37, went to his half century off 93 balls with his 10th boundary - an off drive at Murtagh's expense.
By lunch Fell had moved onto 94 and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (38 not out) had helped him add an unbroken 81 out of 191-3 from 56 overs.
