COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO
New Road (day two, stumps): Worcestershire 176 & 228-5 v Essex 116

Simon Jones took a wicket with each of his two deliveries before lunch as Worcestershire took control on day two of their match against Essex.

The former England paceman then finished off the tail after lunch to record figures of 4-14 off just 26 balls, as Essex were all out for 116.

Daryl Mitchell (70) and Ben Smith (71) hit fifties before falling to Danish Kaneria and Alex Tudor respectively.

But Worcestershire reached 228-5 at stumps for a commanding lead of 288.

Kaneria broke the first half-century stand of the match when Stephen Moore (28) was given out lbw for the second day in a row.

Medium-pacer Ravi Bopara found some sharp movement to have Vikram Solanki (15) caught behind and in the same over Smith was dropped by Varun Chopra at second slip.

A relatively subdued Graeme Hick departed for 16 with a mistimed pull to mid-on off Bopara.