Pepper ton helps Essex get on top against Pears

Michael Pepper's previous career-best red-ball score was 92 at Chester-le-Street in 2021

Vitality County Championship Division One, Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford (day two)

Worcestershire 266: D'Oliveira 66, Taylor 62*, Brookes 46, Virdi 42; Porter 5-52, Harmer 3-103 & 2-0 (5 overs)

Essex 404: Pepper 112*, Westley 68, Snater 53, Das 46; Brookes 3-34, Virdi 3-126

Worcestershire (4 pts) trail Essex (7 pts) by 136 runs with all 10 second-innings wickets remaining

Match scorecard

Michael Pepper added a maiden first-class century to his two hundreds in this season's T20 Blast to put Essex on top in their County Championship match with relegation-battling Worcestershire.

The 26-year-old wicketkeeper had only passed fifty once before this summer, and his previous highest red-ball score of 92 came three years ago against Durham - but his unbeaten 112 off 125 balls turned the tide in Essex's favour as they seek to end a run of three games without a win.

After being joined on 227-7 by Shane Snater, the pair put on 134 in 26 overs at Chelmsford to not only overhaul Worcestershire's 266 but lay the foundations for a 138-run first-innings lead.

Essex captain Tom Westley had set the ball rolling with 68 before he became the first of on-loan Surrey spinner Amar Virdi's three wickets for 126 in a marathon 37.4-over spell.

Ethan Brookes also picked up three wickets before Worcestershire reduced the deficit by two runs without loss in five overs before stumps.

Brookes celebrated his maiden first-class wicket before he broke Robin Das' middle-stump to end a second-wicket stand of 65 with Westley, and the 23-year-old seamer did not have long to wait for his second as Jordan Cox, released by England the day before to play for Essex, fell cheaply.

Brett D'Oliveira brought himself on for an over before lunch and with his third ball had Matt Critchley lunging forward before being rapped fatally on his front pad as Essex slipped to 146-4.

Westley, Paul Walter (33) and Simon Harmer all fell before Essex had reached parity with Worcestershire but Pepper stood firm and, with help from Snater, who weighed in with 53, helped the hosts build a healthy lead.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network