Worcestershire’s Joe Leach scored his maiden first-class hundred to hold up the Gloucestershire victory charge in the LV= County Championship Division Two match at Cheltenham.

Leach, who top-scored with an unbeaten 82 in the first innings, made 103 not out as County reached 296 for eight at stumps on the third day to hold an overall lead of 152.

Thilan Samaraweera also scored 63 for County and his fifth-wicket stand of 109 with Leach did much to keep the visitors in contention.

Will Gidman was the most successful of the home attack with three for 72.

Gloucestershire had to wait until the final half-hour of the first session to celebrate a wicket, and it came when Daryl Mitchell pushed forward to Smith and edged to Michael Klinger at slip.

Smith struck again four overs later when Moeen Ali gave a bat-pad catch to Hamish Marshall at short leg.

Matt Pardoe’s obdurate innings of 39, from 168 balls, ended after lunch when he was caught behind by Gareth Roderick off Will Gidman.

It became 102 for four when Alexei Kervezee was run out at the striker’s end by James Fuller’s throw from mid-off after being sent back by Samaraweera.

Gloucestershire had to wait 27 overs for another wicket as Samaraweera and Leach put on 109.

Leach reached a fluent 53-ball half-century with a cover-driven boundary off spin bowler Miles Hammond, and Samaraweera reached his 121-ball 50 in the next over with a single off Smith.

The second new ball was taken immediately after tea and it was only four overs old when Will Gidman won an lbw verdict against Samaraweera, whose 134-ball innings contained nine fours.

Ben Cox departed soon after, caught by wicketkeeper Roderick off Craig Miles to depart for six, and Gareth Andrew went for 14 when he edged a drive off Will Gidman into the hands of Alex Gidman at first slip.

Leach surpassed his previous best score – the 82 he made in the first innings – with a straight-driven boundary off Will Gidman.

Shaaiq Choudhry was bowled by Fuller for 10 before Leach survived a head-high caught and bowled chance to Benny Howell on 91 and went on to reach his century with a cover-driven boundary off Smith in the last over.