Gloucestershire v Worcestershire, Day 3

Worcester were left reaching for the weather forecast - it wasn't good - as they ended the third day 111 ahead of Gloucestershire with four wickets standing.

Having bowled the home side out for 119 they finished their first innings on 310-6, a platform for more quick runs on the final morning and the chance for their new-ball attack of Glenn McGrath and Alamgir Sheriyar to drive home a win which could see them at the top of Division Two.

"We have the ability and strengths to win this division" said coach Bill Athey, on crutches after the third of three knee operations. "Led by Vikram (Solanki) we dominated the day and I don't think I've seen him bat better."

The 26 year old finished unbeaten on 161 and Athey's judgment must have been a fine one for at last year's Cheltenham Festival Solanki had a career best of 171.

This was the record he was chasing in the final half hour on a dry wicket at Bristol where he gave the spinners the charge in a bid for a new personal best before the close.

Gloucestershire had failed by one run to gather in a batting point as they last two wickets fell in eight overs after a delayed start to the pace of Australian Glenn McGrath, who has now taken 20 first class wickets since arriving here, and Sheriyar who finished with four wickets in the innings.

While the rain had gone, at least for the day, there was a troublesome wind to aid the bowler from the pavilion end on the big Bristol ground. It was a two-sweater day and the wind was strong enough to whip the bails off three times.

With some quite remarkable slip catching by the Australian Ian Harvey the home side reduced Worcester to 56-3 in 17 overs. Harvey's hands were on them all and Graeme Hick was among his victims, dismissed by 14 off the left armer Mike Smith. Bowling wide of the stumps he saw one carry through to take an edge but Hick in 45 minutes had not been at his most confident.

Solanki was different, going for his shots early, he had already overtaken Hick when his captain was out and was soon putting the seven bowlers used by Mark Alleyne to flight.

Last winter he toured with England 'A' under Alleyne and they became good friends, a friendship which was stretched as he took six fours off the Gloucestershire skipper as he raced to his first 50.

Runs came easily on a corn-coloured surface which had been well protected from the rain by the vast covers. There was no malice in it and the bowlers toiled, especially into the wind.

With Paul Spiring (28) Solanki shared a fifth wicket stand of 78 and when Spiring fell to a low return catch to Alleyne there followed an aggressive stand of 112 for the next wicket with David Leatherdale.

Their cool dissection of an average-looking attack last 30 overs until Alleyne moved one away and had Leatherdale caught at the wicket for 65. Nine overs later Jack Russell stumped his opposite number Steve Rhodes off the left arm spin of newcomer Tom Cotterell for 16 and Solanki realised his old record wasn't going to fall to him that day.

He tried hard but his 161 had come off 207 balls and he had hit 27 boundaries, two of them sixes.