STEPHEN Peters was in excellent touch today as Worcestershire made positive strides towards Somerset's 318 in the Frizzell County Championship.

Despite the loss of Stephen Moore for 28, the County encountered no further problems in reaching 93-1 after 24 overs on the second day's play at New Road.

Peters made the most of his re-call by reaching 44, while Zander de Bruyn made it to 23 in his last Championship fixture for the club.

Moore and Peters gave the Worcestershire innings a solid start with a half-century opening stand.

Peters, who received the nod from the selectors following the loss of Vikram Solanki and Greame Hick to injury, took his side's total past 50 with a streaky boundary between fourth slip and gully.

Somerset made the breakthrough in the 13th over when Moore tickled a ball from seamer Simon Francis down the leg side to wicket-keeper Carl Gazzard.

Worcestershire were hoping to make good progress after letting Somerset off the hook yesterday.

With victory essential to transform their fast-fading Division Two promotion hopes, the County looked prime for a sensational opening day when seeing off Somerset's big guns and leaving the visitors slumped on 57-5.

But in keeping with their recent poor form, Worcestershire contrived to throw away another strong advantage.

Somerset recovered in the final two sessions to score 318, with Arul Suppiah and Gazzard leading the fightback with steady half-centuries.

Teenage seam bowler Robert Woodman also showed maturity beyond his 18 years to add an unbeaten 46 late on and further frustrate the home side.

At the heart of the County's downfall was their failure to hang on to a clutch of catches as Somerset's middle and lower order set about their salvage mission.

The County made an encouraging start when ripping out Somerset's first five wickets before the end of the 26th over.

Matt Mason dismissed John Francis and the dangerous Matthew Wood reached 21 before flashing a fullish delivery from Kabir Ali to Ben Smith at second slip. Kabir then lulled James Hildreth into a poor shot to Mitchell at cover and former University College Worcester student Wesley Durston cut the ball to the same fielder.

Once Ian Blackwell was stumped for six, Worcestershire were handily placed to skittle out Somerset, but they failed to hammer home their superiority.

Suppiah grew in confidence after taking 20 balls to get off the mark, compiling a fine 72, while Keith Parsons struck 34 before edging to Peters at first slip off Malik, who took best bowling figures of 3-63.

Errors sneaked in from the County, Moore first dropping Gazzard on 15 at third slip before the batsman made a career-best 74, which included seven boundaries and a six.