County Championship: Tom Fell's career-best floors Middlesex

Tom Fell's career-best ton was his third County Championship century of the summer

Tom Fell hit a career-best century against Middlesex for the second time this season as relegated Worcestershire upset the form book against second-placed Middlesex at New Road.

Having made 143 in this summer's first meeting at Uxbridge in June, Fell this time reached the early close on 167.

Fell had an unbroken 219-run stand with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who is three short of a maiden first-class century on 97.

Having resumed on 79-1 in reply to Middlesex's 98, the hosts lead by 231.

The day was significantly curtailed, the players having been taken off for bad light only 13 balls after tea - never to return.

In the time available, Fell became only the 12th, and youngest, batsman to reach 1,000 County Championship runs for the season.

Middlesex did manage to take two wickets inside the first hour, Brett D'Oliveira toe-ending a pull off Neil Dexter to mid-on before Joe Clarke, called up last week for England Lions duty, was superbly caught by Ollie Rayner, diving to his right at second slip.

But, still needing points to be assured of their best Championship finish since 1995, it was otherwise a day of frustrated toil for Middlesex's bowlers as the two 21-year-old flatmates put Worcestershire on course for a successful send-off to Division Two.

Worcestershire batsman Tom Fell told BBC Hereford & Worcester:

"It's been a while since I had a hundred and it was good to get one and go past the 1,000-run mark, have a good partnership with 'Pepsi' (Kohler-Cadmore) and put us into a good position.

"I was well aware how many I needed for my 1,000 runs. Everyone kept asking me how many more I needed and it was 87 before this game so I was relieved when I got past that mark.

"Then it was just a case of kicking on and keeping it going - 1,000 is the target I set at the start of the season. Admittedly I thought it was a bit ambitious at the beginning of the year and it was nice to prove to myself that I can do it at this level."

Middlesex head coach Richard Scott told BBC London 94.9:

"It was an important toss to win. The conditions favoured the bowlers. I don't think we batted very well at all but credit to Worcestershire.

"They put the ball in the right areas which caused problems, and then we haven't bowled as well as we can as a unit.

"It has really compounded that again in that they have got their heads down and the two lads have played well."