DARYL Mitchell’s 12th first-class hundred led Worcestershire to a total of 295-8 on the opening day of their vital LV= County Championship Division One contest with Middlesex at New Road.

With the County facing a desperate fight for top-flight survival, the skipper was at his gritty best in taking nearly five-and-a-half hours to reach three figures.

It was the 28-year-old opener’s second hundred of the season after he made 102 in the opening match of the campaign against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge and he finished the day unbeaten on 129.

Given a rare chance to bat under blue skies and bright sunshine, Phil Hughes came out determined to score quickly and raced to 34 off 28 balls.

However, Worcestershire’s precarious position in the league required a more circumspect approach from the Australian left-hander, who gave his wicket away cheaply with a top edge off Toby Roland-Jones (4-67) to Ravi Patel at deep fine-leg.

After the barnstorming start to their innings, the hosts slipped to 52-3 and were in danger of once again being undermined by the batting collapse which has become an unwanted trademark of this season.

Matt Pardoe edged Roland-Jones for a streaky four, but the bowler gained immediate revenge by trapping the batsman lbw, before also accounting for the out-of-touch Moeen Ali, who tamely edged to wicket-keeper Adam Rossington without scoring.

Director of cricket Steve Rhodes made the bold call to drop veteran batsman Vikram Solanki and his decision was rewarded by a welcome return to form for the man called into replace the ex-England international, Alexei Kervezee.

The Dutchman was confident at the crease in his first Championship appearance for four months and looked a completely different player to the one who had managed a top score of just 18 in his four previous innings this term.

In partnership with the stoic Mitchell, Kervezee helped to add an important 114 in 38 overs as Worcestershire recovered to 166-4. However, having done the hard work to reach an 86-ball half-century, Kervezee (55) gave his wicket away with a loose drive to Roland-Jones at mid-on off the medium pace of Neil Dexter.

While the remaining batsmen didn’t offer too much in the way of runs, they did their best to occupy the crease and support Mitchell. Neil Pinner was undone by extra bounce from spinner Patel and could only fend the ball to Robson at short-leg, while Leach was beaten for pace by a Steven Crook yorker.

Ben Cox, into the side in place of the dropped Ben Scott, and Gareth Andrew both came and went fairly quickly, but Mitchell began to cut loose after reaching his milestone.

The captain spent 12 overs in the 90s, but found a willing, if unorthodox, partner in Chris Russell as they put on an unbeaten 33 for the ninth-wicket to leave the home side in good shape going into day two.