Zimbabweans need 176 to win on final day

This intriguing match between Worcestershire and the Zimbabwean tourists, played though it is on a second-hand, substandard pitch, produced more intriguing cricket on the third day, as both sides in turn took and lost the initiative. At the end of it Worcestershire were dismissed for 247 in their second innings, leaving the tourists with a target of 176 on the final day, on a worn pitch.

The Zimbabweans began the day on 296 for 8, which was effectively the last wicket as Heath Streak, who has back spasms, would not play any further part in the match as a precautionary measure. They would have to bat last on a deteriorating pitch, so every run scored by this last pair would be valuable.

Overnight batsmen Stuart Carlisle and Douglas Hondo looked untroubled by the pitch, but it took them 15 minutes to score the four runs necessary to pass 300. Hondo enjoyed some lucky thick edges and a dropped catch in the slips, and hit Batty for a six over long off.

A cracking square cut to the boundary took Carlisle past 150 for the second time in a month - four weeks ago he recorded his highest score of 219 not out to clinch his place in the tour team at the last possible moment. The same stroke brought up the fifty partnership. Then the early sun disappeared and a light shower found Worcestershire eager to leave the field after an hour's play. Despite the rain stopping immediately, 20 minutes' play were lost.

Finally, after a stand of 56, Carlisle lost his poise, came down the pitch to swing at Gareth Batty and was stumped for 157, having been in the middle for all but the first ball of the team's innings. Hondo was unbeaten with 24 and the total 334. The most successful bowler was Kabir Ali with 3 for 89. The Zimbabweans led by 72, but would have to bat last.

By lunch, though, Worcestershire openers Stephen Peters (18) and Anurag Singh (21) had wiped off more than half the arrears and put on 40 together without loss. Once again Zimbabwe's pacemen, this time Andy Blignaut and Douglas Hondo, were unable to put pressure on the batsmen and too many loose balls allowed the batsmen to score their runs off 12 overs.

Afterwards Worcestershire proceeded without problems, as neither Blignaut nor Hondo was able to take advantage of the dodgy pitch. They looked set to wipe off the deficit without loss when, perhaps as a desperate measure, acting captain Tatenda Taibu brought back Travis Friend. After weeks of disaster, Friend suddenly put it together, shaking up Singh with several balls rearing from just short of a length, and then having him fend off a catch to the keeper to depart for 35. Almost immediately the cathedral bells rang out as if in celebration, and Worcestershire were 63 for 1.

Unfortunately Friend's success appeared to go to his head, and he tried to bounce Peters out; occasionally he had him in trouble, but more often the ball sped to the boundary and Peters sped to his fifty. On 51 he had Peters caught on the midwicket boundary, pulling - but off a no-ball. Vikram Solanki (5) was the one who fell to the pull, brilliantly taken almost off the ground by Grant Flower at midwicket.

Still, though, the boundaries flowed, but Hondo suddenly got a well-pitched ball through the defence of Ben Smith, trapping him lbw for 5. This finally slowed the run haemorrhage and Peters, put off his rhythm, sparred Hondo to backward point for 63. Worcestershire were 132 for 4, and runs almost dried up altogether as Raymond Price tied up one end and the new batsmen seemed unable to get Hondo off the square.

After tea the Zimbabweans kept their tight rein on the batsmen for a while after tea, dismissing Kadeer Ali for 14, caught at the wicket off Andy Blignaut. Hall played a couple of handsome drives, and then with Gareth Batty tried to take the initiative. Batty had 12 when he unwisely tried to attack Flower immediately the latter came on, and was very well caught by Friend running back from mid-on and making it look easy.

Price at the other end had no luck and no spin, either keeping the score down or suffering the bludgeoning hits of the batsmen, especially Hall, when they decided to take charge. Hall ran up 68, hitting Flower for a big six over the pavilion, before holing out at long leg to the same bowler. Runs dried up again, Flower bowled Kabir Ali round his legs without scoring, and Worcestershire were now 236 for 8.

Price finally picked up two wickets when Mason (9) skyed a catch into the covers, and in the same over Pipe (6) was easily stumped. With only a few minutes left, that ended play for the day.