BEN Cox came to Worcestershire’s rescue with a career-best 124 on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two match with Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.

The 25-year-old wicketkeeper smacked 20 fours and two sixes in an exhilarating display, having gone in with his side struggling on 69-4 in reply to 383.

By the time Cox was out Worcestershire progressed to 279-7.

They declared 83 behind on 300-9 with George Rhodes contributing 52 and Kieran Noema-Barnett claiming his best Gloucestershire figures of 4-31 from 16 overs.

The hosts were left with a tricky eight overs to negotiate before the close but openers Cameron Bancroft and Chris Dent posted 20 without loss and extended their side's lead to 103.

The day began with Gloucestershire adding 40 to their overnight 343-8 with Jack Taylor last man out for 143 off 170 balls with 20 fours and a six.

Taylor took three boundaries in an over from Ed Barnard as Gloucestershire claimed four batting points.

It looked a more than handy total on a pitch offering seam movement under overcast skies.

Soon David Payne and Liam Norwell capitalised.

Left-armer Payne struck first as Daryl Mitchell (6) fell lbw pushing forward in the fifth over.

Norwell was unlucky to dismiss only Tom Fell (2) snapped up by Noema-Barnett at fourth slip to make it 25-2.

Brett D’Oliveira (25) looked in good touch before pulling a short ball from Craig Miles straight to Norwell on the deep square-leg boundary.

It was 68-3 at lunch and with only a single added in the afternoon session Joe Clarke (23) shouldered arms to Noema-Barnett who nipped one back to bowl him.

Cox and Rhodes set about steadying the ship and added 110 before tea was taken batting with increasing confidence.

Cox reached his half-century just before the interval off 91 balls.

Rhodes, unbeaten on 49 at tea, followed his partner to 50 off 118 deliveries with seven fours.

Thirty-one more runs were added at the start of the final session before he cut loosely at Miles and directed a catch straight to Will Tavare at backward point.

By then Cox was cutting loose with a series of crisply-struck boundaries all around the wicket.

It took him just 45 balls to move from 50 to his third first-class hundred.

Cox went past his previous best of 109 made against Somerset at New Road in 2015 before being caught behind edging an attempted cut off Noema-Barnett.

Gloucestershire’s Kiwi all-rounder then removed Barnard (23) and John Hastings (0) in the same over to complete his four-wicket haul.