Worcestershire Seconds are strongly placed going into the final day after Ross Whiteley hit an unbeaten century on the third day of the fixture with Middlesex at New Road.
The former Derbyshire all-rounder helped Worcestershire to amass 416-5 and leave Middlesex requiring a massive 502 for victory.
By the close of play they had reached 150-5 with Whiteley amongst the five different wicket-takers.
Whiteley's ton was his second for the Seconds with the other one achieved last season against Yorkshire at Stamford Bridge in the Second Eleven Trophy.
Whiteley faced 155 balls and hit four sixes and 11 fours.
There were good contributions all down the order from the Worcestershire batsmen.
Brett D'Oliveira, unbeaten on 87 overnight, fell six runs short of his hundred, caught at mid-wicket after adding 108 for the second wicket with George Rhodes (41).
Rhodes edged to slip on the same total – 187 – but then skipper Joe Leach scored 54 off 55 balls with two sixes and nine fours and dominated a stand of 88 with Whiteley.
Whiteley added 56 with Ed Barnard (15) and an unbroken 85 with first innings century maker Alex Hepburn who hit 45 not out off 37 balls.
Worcestershire picked up wickets at regular intervals and only opener Stephen Eskinazi defied them for long in making 52 not out. Adam Hose held onto two chances at third slip.
Worcestershire – second innings
Clarke run out 42
D'Oliveira c White b Sandhu 94
Rhodes c Stirling b Podmore 41
Whiteley not out 100
Leach c Eskinazi b Higgins 54
Barnard lbw Patel 15
Hepburn not out 45
Extras 25
Total (for 5 wickets declared) 416 in 96 overs.
FOW: 79, 187, 187, 275, 331.
Bowling: Podmore 1-77, Sandhu 1-44, Higgins 1-30, Patel 1-90.
Middlesex – second innings
Higgins c Whiteley b Leach 27
Eskinazi not out 52
Balbirnie c Hose b Barnard 18
Stirling c Clarke b Whiteley 3
Rayner c Hose b Russell 17
White lbw D'Oliveira 21
Lace not out 2
Extras 10
Total (for 5 wickets) 150
FOW: 38, 63, 74, 94, 146.
Bowling
Leach 11-1-49-1
Barnard 9-3-30-1
Whiteley 4-2-18-1
Russell 6-2-23-1
D'Oliveira 8-1-19-1
Rhodes 3-1-4-0
