Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Brett D'Oliveira shone for Worcestershire as they dominated play on day three of the LV = County Championship clash with Durham at the ICG Emirates.
Kohler-Cadmore hit his highest score of the season – 89 – as Worcestershire raced to four batting bonus points before declaring on 350-7 declared.
Then Worcestershire's bowlers got amongst the wickets with spinner D'Oliveira enjoying his best ever analysis in Championship cricket of 5-48 as Durham were dismissed for 277.
D'Oliveira then made an aggressive unbeaten 32 as Worcestershire reached 42-0 by the close – an overall advantage of 115.
The County made up for lost time after the second day was washed out by hammering 127 in 18.4 overs this morning to reach 350-7 before skipper Daryl Mitchell declared.
Kohler-Cadmore came into the side after Alex Gidman broke his finger in catching practice on Sunday and responded with a crucial innings.
He looked on course for his first Championship hundred until he was stumped by Michael Richardson off spinner Scott Borthwick.
Kohler-Cadmore hit 12 fours in his 133 ball knock.
Ross Whiteley weighed in with a typically aggressive half-century and there were quickfire runs from Ben Cox and Ed Barnard before the declaration.
Worcestershire resumed on 223-4 from 83 overs against the second new ball and Kohler-Cadmore went to his half century with a single off Chris Rushworth.
He turned Graham Onions through point and then whipped him away for another boundary.
Whiteley quickly signalled his intentions by lofting Onions over the mid wicket boundary for six and then picked up another maximum with a straight shot off Barry McCarthy.
The left hander brought up his half century off 61 balls with two sixes and eight fours.
The Whiteley-Kohler-Cadmore stand was worth 90 in 16.4 overs when Whiteley (51) was bowled by Ryan Pringle.
Kohler-Cadmore continued to score freely before his dismissal and then Joe Leach (5) was also stumped off Pringle.
Cox, with 26 not out off 26 balls, and Barnard, unbeaten on 14 from 10 balls, hurried Worcestershire to the declaration.
The visitors gave the new ball to Joe Leach and debutant Shannon Gabriel as Durham reached 40-0 in eight overs by lunch.
But the wickets fell at steady intervals when the players returned to the action.
Barnard broke an opening stand of 83 in 19 overs between Mark Stoneman and Jack Burnham when the latter was caught at first slip by Kohler-Cadmore for 21.
Stoneman reached 50 off 53 balls with eight fours but on 52 he was bowled by Jack Shantry.
It became three wickets in five overs when Barnard enjoyed a second success with Paul Collingwood (2) safely pouched by skipper Daryl Mitchell at second slip.
Gabriel returned to the attack and hit Durham keeper Michael Richardson on the helmet. Shortly afterwards on 13 he was also caught by Mitchell off Leach.
Borthwick and Gordon Muchall added 60 in 12 overs for the fifth wicket.
D'Oliveira ended the stand just before tea when Muchall was trapped lbw for 29 to leave Borthwick unbeaten on 51.
The wickets continued to tumble in the final session.
Barnard ripped out the off stump of Pringle (21) and then Jamie Harrison (13) and Borthwick, having made 73 off 98 balls with six fours, were both bowled by D'Oliveira in the space of four deliveries.
D'Oliveira picked up a fourth wicket when Barry McCarthy (3) gave him the charge and was stumped by Cox.
His nap hand was completed when Graham Onions was lbw for 13 and the spinner was warmly congratulated by his team-mates.
Barnard finished with 3-63 from 14 overs with Shantry (1-42) and Leach (1-57) the other wicket-takers.
