SAEED Ajmal’s maiden Worcestershire five-wicket haul was scant consolation as Somerset batted the hosts out of this LV= County Championship Division One contest.

The Pakistan off-spinner accounted Arul Suppiah, Chris Jones, Peter Trego, Alfonso Thomas and Craig Kieswetter for 150 off 51 overs.

But Marcus Trescothick’s fifth career double-century helped the visitors build up a lead of 103 as they declared on 591-9 — their highest ever score against Worcestershire, eclipsing the 545 in 1906.

The former England opener’s near-six-and-half-hour vigil was eventually brought to an end by Jack Shantry when the 35-year-old hit the unorthodox left-arm seamer to Alexei Kervezee, who spent most of the afternoon off the field with a knee problem, at extra-cover.

However, the Taunton-based side left many baffled as they failed to secure maximum batting points.

A turgid 190-ball 95 from Nick Compton and 73-ball 68 from Kieswetter put the visitors in control.

With Somerset having half an eye on the county championship crown, if they are to win here at New Road they are going to have to do it the hard way.

Worcestershire, though, will be keen to bat out the final day of this contest after surviving a tricky two over test before stumps when they closed on 4-0.

But Ajmal and Moeen Ali, who claimed the wickets of Compton and Steve Kirby, showed that the pitch which has appeared flat for the past two days is starting to give assistance to the spinners.

Murali Kartik will be a key man for both sides because if Worcestershire can fend him off, they will stand a chance of surviving and closing the gap on fellow strugglers Yorkshire in their bid to remaining in Division One.