Gloucestershire 289 and 59 for 1 trail Worcestershire 388 (Brookes 66, Waite 63, van Buuren 4-96) by 40 runs
Worcestershire will return to the field on the final day of their Rothesay County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Visit Worcestershire New Road in pursuit of quick wickets in order to maintain their slim hopes of victory in a match which is otherwise ambling towards a low-key draw.
The early breakthrough might have prompted a cascade of Worcestershire wickets, but Brookes and Waite did what teammates Adam Hose and Brett D’Oliveira fell two short in attempting on day two – they enjoyed a century partnership for the seventh wicket.
Brookes, who was on 11 overnight, brought up his half century from 175 balls – a watchful innings which was as determined as it was disciplined. Waite, meanwhile, passed 50 in 100 deliveries with a fine cut which just evaded the reach of Miles Hammond, who sprawled away to his right in a futile effort to prevent the boundary.
The stand, ultimately worth 116, was finally brought to an end in the 134th over of the innings, when Waite was trapped by Hammond with a ball which pitched well outside off but jagged back sharply and rapped his front pad.
After a comparably restrained morning, in which both Brookes and Waite dug in doggedly, there was a little more liberty for the tail to cut loose; Beyers Swanepoel (13 from 16 balls) cleared the square leg and boundary when he heaved a rank full toss by Hammond towards the city centre.
The South African then fashionably reverse swept Van Buuren for four, but the spinner – in the same over – won the battle when Swanepoel charged him, failed to connect with the delivery and was routinely stumped by James Bracey.
Brookes departed swiftly afterwards when Kristian Clarke sent down a length ball which caught the Worcestershire all-rounder off guard and he feathered through to Bracey.
The tenth wicket then became an irritant for Gloucestershire. Fateh Singh and Tom Taylor batted sensibly to put on a further 34, before Van Buuren relieved the former of his off peg. It meant that, with a session remaining in the day, Worcestershire’s lead was 99.
The hosts bowled particularly tightly after tea; in the tenth over, and with Gloucestershire having only put ten runs on the board, Swanepoel made the breakthrough when he found Joe Phillips’ leading edge and Brookes, on the end of the cordon, took a smart catch diving low to his right.
Removing captain Bancroft (37 not out from 90 balls), clamped to the crease, proved a little more arduous in the evening.
The Australian opener resisted Worcestershire’s efforts through to the close alongside young Tommy Boorman (16 not out from 66 balls) and the pair will return on the morning of the final day aiming to defy and frustrate the Worcestershire attack further.
