brett d’oliveira spearheaded a splendid worcestershire rearguard action with a superb century on the third day of the specsavers county championship match with glamorgan at sophia gardens.
the all-rounder followed up his career best 7-92 with the ball by coming in at number nine at 234-7 after ed barnard’s departure for an excellent 56 and leading the county to 370 all out.
d’oliveira helped ensure worcestershire avoid the possibility of being asked to follow on in reply to glamorgan’s first innings total of 449.
he received particularly excellent support from last man adam finch during a stand of 68.
d’oliveira was only in his 40s when finch came to the wicket.
but the pace bowler survived 49 deliveries and remained unbeaten as his team-mate went to his first championship hundred since september 2017 against leicestershire at New Road.
glamorgan reached 137-1 from 36 overs in their second innings by the close – a lead of 216.
worcestershire resumed on 191-5 and suffered an early blow when nightwatchman charlie morris was run out for seven.
barnard turned marnus labuschagne around the corner for set off for a single but morris failed to beat billy root’s throw to keeper tom cullen.
all-rounder barnard has looked at ease in his new number six role and had starts of 32 against lancashire – when he finished top-scorer – and 29 against sussex.
but this time he completed a fine 50 off 93 balls with five fours when turning lukas carey off his legs to the boundary.
he eventually fell for 56 when michael hogan bowled a tight spell and eventually trapped him lbw with a ball of full length.
keeper ben cox (12) dug in for much of the morning session but then went for a pull against dan douthwaite and the ball appeared to flick his glove on the way through to cullen.
worcestershire went into lunch at 284-8 and a third batting point was secured – and the possibility of following on avoided – when club captain joe leach turned douthwaite for two.
hogan had leach (16) caught behind with a fine delivery of extra bounce which swung away at 302-9 but then came finch’s staunch support of d’oliveira who scored freely and looked back to his best.
he reached three figures with a drive for four off hogan and received great support from his team-mates and the worcestershire supporters in the ground.
d’oliveira eventually fell later in the same over – caught and bowled by hogan – for 103 from 158 balls with 12 fours to leave finch unbeaten on five.
hogan had fine figures of 29.5-9-62-5.
when glamorgan started their second innings after tea leach struck a quick blow when he had owen morgan (0) caught behind in the first over of the innings.
but marnus labuschagne was allowed to get into his stride and again looked in good touch as he raced to a 48 ball half century with nine fours.
he had moved onto 90 not out by the close and with nick selman (42 not out) added an unbroken 136 for the second wicket.
