A CAREER-BEST performance by David Hemp kept promotion-chasing Warwickshire afloat in the Division Two clash with Worcestershire at Edgbaston.

The former Glamorgan batsman comfortably cleared the follow-on threat with an unbeaten 186. But a delayed declaration may have tempered the overall value of his 368-ball marathon which took nearly eight hours.

Warwickshire cut the first-innings deficit to 77 by going on to 447-6 and their local rivals recovered from a slow start to reach 113-1 in 38 overs before the close.

Openers Philip Weston and Anurag Singh put on 49, but a positive result is probably unlikely as Worcestershire take a lead of only 190 into the final day.

Their own victory ambitions had been severely dented by Hemp's skill in mixing attrition with flowing stroke-play for 25 fours and two sixes.

The first target of 365 to avoid the danger of batting again was reached in a stand of 164 with Dougie Brown who made his 85 from 154 deliveries.

At first, Worcestershire's response was low key with the first pair scoring at little more than two an over until wicketkeeper Keith Piper, scooped up a chance from Singh off Neil Smith's second delivery.