Leatherdale makes the most of full day

A day which began unpromisingly under dark skies and light rain eventually brightened up enough to allow Worcestershire the rare luxury of a fullish day's play at New Road yesterday. Thanks to David Leatherdale and Vikram Solanki, the hosts were able to make the most of it.

The covers came off to reveal a flat surface with some pace in it for Dean Headley, but not much to encourage Kent's clutch of medium pacers and no turn for Paul Strang.

Neither Tom Moody and Tim Curtis, captain and former captain, looked unduly troubled until Curtis was subjected to a loud lbw appeal by Headley in the day's fourth over.

Curtis survived that but was not so fortunate later in the same over when he was beaten outside the off stump and this time umpire Jack Bond gave Headley the answer he was looking for.

Curtis trudged off disconsolately but then Moody and Graeme Hick went to work. While Moody shovelled boundaries either side of the wicket with a minimum of fuss, Hick offered a more expansive selection.

Moody's fifty came up in 100 balls but when he had reached 60 Bond's index finger popped up again to adjudge him lbw to Matthew Fleming, despite looking a long way forward.

Reuben Spiring scratched around for six but was out to the fifth ball of the afternoon, another Bond/Fleming lbw production.

Hick became Fleming's third victim when he mis-timed a ball straight to Chris Cowdrey at square leg and at 154 for 4 Worcestershire were wobbling slightly.

A partnership of 62 between Gavin Haynes and Leatherdale steadied the ship before Haynes wafted at a wide one from Alan Igglesden and Steve Marsh dived to take the catch low to his right.

Solanki joined Leatherdale and Worcestershire slowly began to prosper. Solanki began cautiously before unveiling a delightful array of strokes, including a meaty square cut off Fleming that brought up the 100 partnership.

He reached his highest championship score of the summer, 61, before being caught at slip off Headley, but Leatherdale, dropped on 32 by Alan Wells at first slip, went on to complete an accomplished century, providing Worcestershire with maximum batting points.