Worcestershire assistant coach-bowling coach Matt Mason praised the impact made by Mitchell McClenaghan and all the county bowlers as Gloucestershire were forced to follow on in the LV County Championship clash at Cheltenham.
New Zealand paceman McClenaghan marked his Championship debut with a fiery opening spell in which he removed openers Michael Klinger and Will Tavare in the Gloucestershire first innings after Worcestershire had extended their first innings from 299-7 overnight to 395.
That initial burst either side of lunch was described by wicket-keeper Ben Cox as "the quickest he had faced" and was a sharp contrast to the spinning skills of Saeed Ajmal he has had to encounter during the past three months.
McClenaghan also had Gloucestershire paceman Craig Miles dropped as another fine all-round performance by the county attack of Charlie Morris, Jack Shantry, Joe Leach and Shaaiq Choudhry dismissed Gloucestershire for 156 – 239 in arrears.
They reached 10-1 in their second innings.
Mason said: "It was a good bowling day but first and foremost I think we should reflect on Daryl Mitchell's fabulous innings (of 167 not out), the way he controlled the back end of that innings and what a great first session it was to pile on those runs and give us momentum.
"It carried off into our bowling and it was really fantastic to sit here as a bowling coach and see someone like Mitchell McClenaghan run in and bowl as fast as he did.
"I thought it was a quality opening spell supported by Charlie Morris and it got us off to a flying start with the ball.
"It was supported as always by Jack Shantry and Joe Leach and I thought Shaaiq Choudhry bowled a really nice first spell.
"I was really pleased with their efforts."
The last five Worcestershire wickets added 153 runs to help secure four batting points.
Mason said: "We've done that well all year but it also cripples the opposition when that happens because you just want to get off that field and get your innings underway.
"I think it switched all the momentum to us and meant when our bowlers went out, they were flying and the whole team was up.
"When we had them four down very quickly, we were well on top."
Mason expects more hard work to lie ahead for the bowlers tomorrow on what is still a decent pitch.
He said: "As we saw at the back end of their innings, they put a couple of nice little partnerships together.
"It's easy to sit here and be a little bit frustrated thinking we should have finished them off for less than they got.
"But it is a very good wicket still. Tomorrow is going to be tough. The bowlers gave their all today.
"They are going to be tired, they are going to have to wake up hopefully fresh tomorrow and go as hard as they did today.
"But we are in a great position in this game and have to make sure we keep our foot on the throat of Gloucestershire."
