A FLURRY of wickets prevented Worcestershire from piling up an imposing total in their LV= County Championship clash with Somerset at New Road.

Beginning day two on their overnight 270-3, the hosts looked to bat positively to bring up extra batting points as well as attempting to force home their advantage.

However, having surpassed the 300-mark and brought up their third bonus point, the County subsided from 302-3 to 340 all out.

Before the weather brought proceedings to a halt, Worcestershire had managed to reduce Somerset to 27-2, but the rain arrived at an hour after lunch and end play for the day.

The inclement conditions also cruelly robbed visiting batsman Nick Compton of the chance to become the first player since Graeme Hick, in 1988, to make 1,000 runs before the end of May.

On the final day of the month, Compton, grandson of the legendary Denis Compton, was left stranded on nine not out, 50 short of the magical milestone.

Vikram Solanki resumed the day on 82 not out and survived a confident appeal from the impressive Peter Trego, who finished with a five-wicket haul, without adding to his total.

With that delivery adjudged to have been missing leg stump, the former captain raced to a fine century with a boundary blitz, unleashing four fours as he raced to three figures.

Solanki’s overnight partner James Cameron (19) pulled a short ball from Alfonso Thomas to the backward square-leg boundary to bring up the 300, but then fended a lifting ball from the same bowler to the safe hands of former Chippenham Town goalkeeper Trego at second slip. That dismissal sparked a dramatic collapse that saw Worcestershire lose 7-38 in exactly 20 overs.

Under cloudy skies, it was important for the Worcestershire attack to start their response well and they did just that with Lucas and Jones claiming a wicket apiece as Somerset slumped to 11-2, but once again the rain had the final say.