Five-star Ali boosts Worcestershire

Kabir Ali helped Worcestershire have the upperhand in their match against Gloucestershire at Bristol. They will head into the final day with a lead of 228, with seven wickets in hand, thanks mainly to the efforts of Ali, who took five wickets to finish off Gloucestershire's first innings.

Ali made steady progress through the rest of Worcestershire's line-up; he ended with 5 for 78. Roger Sillence took two wickets late on, too, to help chip out the last thee wickets for four runs.

The home side had continued to make a decent fist of their reply to Worcestershire's mountainous 587 for 7 declared but were eventually dismissed for 471. Craig Spearman extended his overnight score of 160 but fell agonisingly short of his double-century, flicking a catch to Graeme Hick off Gareth Batty when he was on 192. Ian Harvey then struck an unbeaten fifty to provide a late boost.

Carl Greenidge picked up the early wicket of the dangerman Phil Jaques for 7 to give Worcestershire a boost in Gloucestershire's second innings. Worcestershire then slipped to 76 for 3, but Ben Smith was looking firm on 37 not out by the close, and he was joined by Hick, who was unbeaten on 11.