WORCESTERSHIRE batting hero Tom Fell was too nervous to eat during the tea interval before completing a superb century on the opening day of the LV= County Championship clash with champions Yorkshire at New Road.

Fell sat through the 20-minute break just one run short of competing a third Championship hundred of his career after his score was amended from 98 to 99 not out.

But he needed only two deliveries after the resumption to move to three figures in the promoted County’s return to Division One with a four off his legs against Ryan Sidebottom.

The 21-year-old batted for nearly four hours and hit 14 fours in his 196-ball innings before being caught behind down the leg-side off Tim Bresnan for 114.

Worcestershire will resume their first innings tomorrow morning on 264-8 from 82 overs with Gareth Andrew (42no) and Sri Lankan Sachithra Senanayake at the crease.

Fell and Moeen Ali (62) put on a vital 118-run stand for the third wicket after Worcestershire lost early wickets, having won the toss and decided to bat first.

Fell said: “It felt really good. I came in at quite a difficult situation. Yorkshire bowled really well up front. It was really nice to get the first one (innings) out of the way for the season.

“Early on, there was always a ball that could have your name on it. A few of the lads got some decent deliveries.

“It was one of those wickets where you do have to grind early on and, if you do get yourself in, it becomes a lot easier.

“That was probably one of the best attacks in the league and that makes it (the 100) a little bit more special, playing against the 2014 champions.”

Fell is hoping Andrew and the remaining batsmen can push the score up to the 300 mark when play resumes.

He said: “That is going to be the target. If we do get to 300 first up, we’ve got a pretty good chance of not losing the game.”

It was a day of see-sawing fortunes but Worcestershire battled hard against a top-notch attack to eke out two batting points.

Fell and Mooen had joined forces with Worcestershire at 11-2 after the early loss of openers Richard Oliver and skipper Daryl Mitchell.

Bresnan ended the stand by dismissing Moeen, then trapped Alex Gidman lbw for seven and saw Fell dropped by Andrew Hodd on 66.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore was bowled via an edge for three to provide Bresnan with his third wicket with Worcestershire on 171-5 in the 59th over.

Ben Cox fell to a fine low catch by Bresnan at third slip and Fell was seventh out at 216.

Andrew, in his first Championship match for 11 months, and Jack Shantry added 39 in nine overs to carry the home side to a second batting point.

Shantry was lbw to Steve Patterson for 15 and Andrew reeled off a series of aggressive strokes before bad light stopped play.