THE returning Joe Leach produced a career-best display with the ball as he took six wickets for just 44 runs as Worcestershire enjoyed a successful second day in their County Championship match with Glamorgan.

The visitors to New Road started the day 31/3 after Leach had taken three early wickets the previous evening after Worcestershire totalled 271 all-out on day one. 

Leach, on his comeback from injury, took three more wickets in the morning before Ed Barnard (2), Dillon Pennington and Charlie Morris took the remaining four to dismiss Glamorgan for a measly 139, still 132 runs behind.

Ed Pollock was bowled early on as the Pears began their second innings but Azhar Ali (42) and Jake Libby (49) ticked the lead over to 260 runs as they ended the day on 147/6.

It was the perfect start to the second day of play at New Road as Leach began his assault. 

He took two inside the opening eight minutes to remove both Sam Northeast (9) and Kiran Carlson (0) before Charlie Morris had Billy Root caught behind by Ben Cox. 

Leach then took his sixth when Tom Cullen (21) was caught by Ed Barnard before Barnard clean bowled Michael Neser himself for the eighth wicket as Glamorgan creaked on 110/8.

Andrew Salter (15) then edged Barnard to Tom Fell before Pennington wrapped up the innings by removing the defiant Edward Byrom, who battled away to 57 before eventually edging to Leach. 

With a lead of well over 100 runs established, Worcestershire set off on their quest to build a big lead with two and a half days still left in the match. 

The innings did not get off to the best start, however, as the out-of-form Pollock (5) edged a Michael Hogan delivery to David Lloyd in the second over.

Azhar Ali came to the crease and was determined to play his shots, reaching 32 runs by tea, with Libby helping him take the game to their opponents. 

The pair reached their fifty partnership shortly after the break and both steadily kept the scoreboard ticking over before Azhar’s (42) innings came to a close in the 33rd over.

The Paikstani international played at a delivery from Hogan and Cullen took the catch, diving low to his left. 

That started a burst of wickets for Glamorgan to keep themselves in the game.

Harris ended Libby’s innings a run short of his half-century before Tom Fell (17), Brett D'Oliveira (7) and Ed Barnard (1) were all dismissed as Worcestershire lost four wickets for just 19 runs.

At the start of play on day 3, Gareth Roderick (6) was caught behind by Ingram off the bowling of Neser to leave the hosts 162/7 with Charlie Morris (23*) and Joe Leach (2*) at the crease.