Tour match, Worcester, day three of four:
Worcestershire 262 and 247; Zimbabweans 334

Zimbabwe's under-strength attack demonstrated their capabilities by pushing towards a timely victory before their upcoming Test series against England.

The tourists will need 176 to win on Monday and given fine weather they will expect to get the runs having managed considerably more than that in their first innings.

Having claimed a 72-run lead earlier on the third day, Zimbabwe overcame the loss of captain Heath Streak with a back strain by again bowling out Worcestershire cheaply.

Young seamer Travis Friend began Zimbabwe's charge by bouncing back from a miserable first day to claim two crucial breakthroughs after Anurag Singh and Stephen Peters had forged a 63-run opening stand.

Hondo, with his back turned, has had a fine match

Friend, the quickest bowler in Zimbabwe's inexperienced tour party, tempted Singh into edging behind to wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu.

He then removed Vikram Solanki, who had been particularly punishing on Friend's wayward bowling on the first day.

Solanki had made only five when he hooked a short delivery and Grant Flower ran in from deep mid-on to take a superb diving catch and earn Friend.

But it was fellow seamer Doug Hondo who really lifted Zimbabwe spirits by claiming two wickets in successive overs.

First he dismissed Peters when the batsman guided a short delivery to gully after scoring an impressive 63. Then he trapped Ben Smith leg before with a full-length ball which kept low.

Andrew Hall produced something of a recovery to hit 68, but he lacked support, and it was the spinners Ray Price and Grant Flower who polished off the home side's tail late in the day.

Stuart Carlisle had earlier hit 157, the second highest first class score of his career. He and Hondo (24 not out) shared a vital 56-run partnership for the ninth wicket.

Worcestershire: S D Peters, A Singh, V S Solanki, B F Smith (Capt), Kadeer Ali, A J Hall, G J Batty, D J Pipe (Wkt), Kabir Ali, M S Mason, M A Harrity.

Zimbabwe: M A Vermeulen, D D Ebrahim, S V Carlisle, G W Flower, B G Rogers, T Taibu (Wkt), A M Blignaut, H H Streak (Capt), T J Friend, D T Hondo, R W Price.