WORCESTERSHIRE were left to rue another lost toss on the opening day of the LVCC Division Two match against Gloucestershire at New Road.

Having won the first coin flip at the beginning of the season at Edgbaston, skipper Vikram Solanki's luck evaded him as the visitors opted to bat following stand-in skipper Alex Gidman's success.

But the Nevil Road side had to battle their way back from 85-5 to close on day one of four on 411-6.

The wicket at a New Road basked in glorious sunshine flattened out quickly as the County attack looked to rip through the visiting batsmen.

But a record sixth-wicket stand from Chris Taylor and Steve Snell put Gloucestershire in control.

Solanki felt the wicket got progressively better for batting after the opening hour.

If Worcestershire can get the final four wickets quickly tomorrow, then the County's in-form batsmen should swing the game back in the hosts' favour.

"Hopefully we can get some early poles," Solanki said. "We are batting pretty well at the moment so hopefully the wicket will play pretty well for us too.

"It was a strange day. We bowled reasonably well to start with and went past the edge a number of times.

"Taylor played very well for 100, while Snell chanced his arm for his first 50 and then played very well after that."

The day started so brightly for Worcestershire as Simon Jones, making his home championship debut, took a wicket in each of his opening two overs, removing Grant Hodnett (1) and the dangerous Craig Spearman (7) to leave the visitors 8-2.

Wickets fell at regular intervals in the morning session with Steve Magoffin claiming two and Gareth Andrew one in a fast and furious two hours with Gloucestershire getting to lunch at 122-5.

But then it all changed, having been 85-5, Taylor and Snell put on a record sixth-wicket stand of 222 for Gloucestershire against Worcestershire.

The duo made light of indifferent bowling from the County attack which struggled without Kabir Ali, who failed a fitness test on a hamstring injury.

Snell hit a first-class career best with his maiden century off 179 balls with 14 fours.

Taylor racked up his ton in 151 balls, hitting two sixes and 14 fours, before Gareth Batty had the pint-sized 31-year-old caught behind by Steven Davies for 137 in the 75th over.

With the wicket showing plenty of life before lunch, it appeared to have flattened out after the break as Taylor and Snell made hay in the sunshine.

Not even the new ball had any effect as Snell (127 not out) and Mark Hardinges (66no) put on an unbeaten century seventh-wicket stand by stumps.