A BATTING masterclass from Moeen Ali saw the Worcestershire batsman overtake England starlet Joe Root to become the leading run-scorer in the country this season.

The New Road left-hander’s superb career-best 250 took him to exactly 900 runs for the season and edged him ahead of ahead of Yorkshire’s Root (889), Middlesex’s Australian opener Chris Rogers (790) and Nottinghamshire’s Michael Lumb (766) in the race to 1,000 runs for the campaign.

Moeen’s innings, which came from 366 balls and featured 26 fours and two sixes, was the 13th highest in Worcestershire history and the cornerstone of his side’s 505-7 declared – the first time they have passed 500 this term.

The bowlers then reduced Glamorgan to 164-5 to tighten their grip on this LV= County Championship Division Two contest.

Alan Richardson removed opener Will Bragg, before a double strike from Jack Shantry made it 54-3 as he bowled Ben Wright and had Stuart Walters caught by Matt Pardoe.

Richardson then accounted for Murray Goodwin, caught behind, while Chris Russell beat Marcus North for pace.

But Jim Allenby (56 not out) and skipper Mark Wallace (18no) rallied to take their side to the close, although they still need another 192 to avoid just the follow-on.

Earlier in the day, Moeen, with the help of nightwatchman Shantry, put on 70 for the fourth wicket, which was Worcestershire’s best stand for that wicket this season.

Shantry was caught and bowled by spinner Dean Cosker and that wicket heralded the loss of three batsmen in the space of 12 balls.

First, Alexei Kervezee drove Michael Reed tamely to Goodwin at cover, before Tom Fell, making his Championship debut, was trapped lbw by Cosker first ball.

Wicketkeeper Ben Cox found some welcome form with an unbeaten 40 as Worcestershire went past 500 before declaring.

Of the 12 Worcestershire innings higher than Moeen’s knock, five of them were by Graeme Hick, including the former England man’s unbeaten 252 at Abergavenny in 1990, which remains the County’s best against the Welsh outfit.

It was also the highest knock by a Worcestershire batsman at New Road since Hick’s 262 against Gloucestershire in 2004 and the fifth best of all time at headquarters.