Gloucestershire on top after Franklin ton

Worcestershire 126 for 2 v Gloucestershire 480
Scorecard

Gemaal Hussain became the third bowler to take 50 first-class wickets this season as Gloucestershire put Worcestershire under pressure on the second day at Cheltenham.

The 26-year-old seamer, who had played only one County Championship game prior to this summer, joined Steve Finn and Adil Rashid in reaching 50 victims when he dismissed David Wheeldon in Worcestershire's reply to the home side's total of 480 all out.

James Franklin had made 108 in Gloucestershire's total, while Matt Mason took 4 for 92. By the close the visitors had reached 126 for 2, with Daryl Mitchell unbeaten on 50.

Hussain has taken his 50 wickets at an average of less than 22. It is only the Londoner's second year with Gloucestershire, having played club cricket in the Bradford and Birmingham leagues. Franklin was unbeaten on 50 overnight as his side began the day on 324 for 4. He lost partner Chris Taylor with the total on 368, caught behind off Mason for 39.

Gloucestershire missed out on a fifth batting point by a single run when Chris Dent joined Franklin and took the score to 399 for 5 at the end of the 110th over. By then Franklin was totally determined to reach three figures, having registered three scores in the 90s this season, and did so thanks to a misfield from Alan Richardson.

Franklin's luck evened out when he was run out backing up for 108 as Dent connected with a firm drive and bowler Moeen Ali diverted the ball onto the stumps. It was 462 for 7 when Dent was caught at mid-on for 38. Jon Lewis hit a bright 19 but Vikram Banerjee and Anthony Ireland fell cheaply as Gloucestershire lost their last five wickets in 10 overs for 45 runs.

Worcestershire made a good start in reply and there were 55 runs on the board when Wheeldon, on 16, got a thin inside edge onto his pad and was caught in the slips by Will Porterfield with Hussain apparently appealing for lbw. Vikram Solanki could make only nine before being pinned lbw by Anthony Ireland and at 64 for 2 Worcestershire were in trouble.

But Mitchell kept them in the game with a battling half-century off 142 balls with eight fours, while Moeen was 36 not out at stumps.