TEA UPDATE: After lunch, Cowan made 34 before he was given out lbw to Jack Shantry, but he hardly took his eyes off the bottom of his bat as he trudged back to the pavilion in a non-too-subtle gesture to umpire Peter Hartley that he’d hit it.

Aussie skipper Michael Clarke joined Hughes and the duo underlined their class with a boundary-laden partnership of 132.

After a patient start, the pair picked up the pace with the ball disappearing to all corners of New Road on a regular basis.

Hughes eventually departed for 86 as he aimed an elaborate attempt to lift the ball over wicketkeeper Ben Cox, only to be bowled by Chris Russell.

The visitors took tea on 241-3, which gives them a lead of 353 with seven wickets in hand.

LUNCH UPDATE: Worcestershire added just two to their overnight 246-7, before the first wicket went down, but Gareth Andrew looked distraught to be given out caught down the leg-side, with the ball clearly having come off his pad.

Charlie Morris (25 not out) and Jack Shantry played a couple of nice strokes, before the later was cleaned up by Ryan Harris for 13. The innings was closed at 284 when Chris Russell was bowled by James Faulkner for four.

When the Australian openers – Ed Cowan replaced Shane Watson as Chris Rogers’ partner this time around – made their way to the middle, they made serene progress to start with.

However, Moeen Ali was the man to make the breakthrough, squaring Rogers up and turning the ball sharply to trap the Middlesex man lbw for 26.

Former Worcestershire overseas favourite Phil Hughes joined Cowan, who is unbeaten on 18 not out in the tourists’ total of 47-1, a lead of 159.