COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, New Road:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY THREE: Warwickshire 309, Worcestershire 111 and 206-6 (Warwicks 6pts, Worcs 3pts)
31 July - 3 August 2009

Carter claimed his first five-wicket haul of the season on day three

Warwickshire's attack bowled them into a position to push for victory over local rivals Worcestershire on day three at New Road.

Resuming on 2-0 in reply to the Bears' 309 after Saturday's wash out, the home side were skittled for just 111 by Neil Carter (5-37) and Chris Woakes (4-30).

Stephen Moore (88) and Vikram Solanki (46) then shared 121 for the second wicket as the hosts followed on.

But they were 206-6 at the close, a lead of just eight.

Warwickshire will be expecting to wrap up their first victory of the season on Monday, but if they do they will be grateful to a crazy first session which saw Carter and Woakes take seven wickets in 11 overs.

The key in both innings for the Bears was breaking the partnership of Moore and Solanki.

They shared 61 in the wreckage of Worcestershire's first innings before their century stand later in the day.

But the rest of the home batsmen struggled to cope with some accurate swing bowling.

Four of Carter's first-innings wickets came from lbw decisions as he returned his best figures of the season, while Woakes' were his best of the campaign for his county as Worcestershire lost nine wickets for 42.

Worcestershire's second innings started badly when Daryl Mitchell fell to Naqaash Tahir without scoring.

And the wheels came off again after Boyd Rankin had Solanki caught at point and Moore was caught by Rikki Clarke at second slip off Tahir.

Rankin then removed Ben Smith and Steven Davies in five balls, with Alexei Kervezee falling to Carter with the scores level.

Warwickshire seamer Neil Carter told BBC WM:

"We knew that if we tried to stick to our disciplines there was a bit in the wicket, but in was a very swingy day and there was more swing than nip off the pitch.

"We realised they [Moore and Solanki] are both England Lions players of international standard, so we knew if we could get through them there was a chance of rolling them.

"It's a while since I have bowled 26 overs in a day and I am very tired - it feels like I have bowled 34 overs.

"We will finish them off tomorrow and hopefully be home by lunch."

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