JOSH Baker reached career-best figures with the bat as he and captain Brett D'Oliveira put on 143 runs for the eighth wicket to guide Worcestershire to over 400 runs in their County Championship match with Gloucestershire. 

Baker (75) and D'Oliveira (90) added valuable runs to the score after opener Gareth Roderick (53) and all-rounder Matthew Waite (64) had given the visitors a platform. 

Worcestershire had been reduced to 17/3 early on day one but recovered well through the individuals named above and eventually posted 406 all-out after lunch on day two. 

Dillon Pennington had made the breakthrough as Gloucestershire began their first innings, claiming the wicket of Chris Dent, who edged a delivery through to Roderick.

But in Joe Phillips, Gloucestershire settled and he reached his fifty alongside Ollie Price at the other end. 

The second-wicket partnership was worth 100 runs before Joe Leach had Phillips caught by Baker for 80 just before tea.

The Worcestershire bowler then took two wickets in quick succession to put the away side in firm control of the match at the half-way point. At the time of print, Gloucestershire were 153/4.