Carberry hits second ton

Hampshire's Michael Carberry hooks during his hundred

Michael Carberry hit his second century of the match as title hopefuls Hampshire moved to the brink of victory against Worcestershire in their LV County Championship Division One encounter at Kidderminster.

The left-handed opener cracked 120 before the visitors, who resumed 167 ahead on 12 without loss, declared at 376 for two to leave relegated Worcestershire an impossible task of scoring 532 to win.

With Ben Smith out for the rest of the season with a broken right index finger - sustained batting in the first innings - the hosts were sinking on 158 for four at stumps.

Carberry wasted little time in adding to Worcestershire's woes when he resumed on 11 not out.

Along with Michael Brown, he showed the home attack no mercy and rapidly completed 50 with 10 fours off 68 balls.

Shortly afterwards, they completed their second century stand of the match which followed the 111 they piled up in the first innings.

Brown's 50 came off 73 balls, including eight fours, before Carberry reached his 10th first class ton of his career.

It contained 17 fours off 135 balls to add to the 127 he made in the first innings.

He also scored 116 against Worcestershire when Hants triumphed by 285 runs at Southampton last month.

By lunch, Carberry and Brown had taken their side to 192 for none - a lead of 347.

John Crawley plays a classical straight drive

Worcestershire finally made a hard-earned breakthrough in the third over after the interval when Brown went for a big hit off spinner Ray Price and was easily caught behind by Steve Davies.

He hit 12 fours off 131 deliveries in making 88 in a 199-run partnership with Carberry - Hants best partnership for any wicket so far this season.

Two overs later Price struck again when Carberry cut him to slip where Graeme Hick took a sharp catch above his head.

Carberry's knock, laced with 20 fours off 158 balls, took his average in four championship innings against Worcestershire this season to an impressive 90.75.

The removal of Brown and Carberry set the scene for more agony for the Worcestershire bowlers as Jimmy Adams and John Crawley hammered their way to an unbeaten stand of 162 in 18 overs.

Adams was 82 not out, including four sixes and 10 fours off 58 balls, with Crawley unbeaten on 75 with two sixes and 10 fours off 55 deliveries.

Worcestershire, with only one championship win to their credit this season, soon began to struggle in their second innings and lost Daryl Mitchell to Shaun Udal's third ball.

The spinner also dismissed Stephen Moore shortly after tea before Hick fell to paceman James Tomlinson.

Captain Shane Warne then accounted for Davies as Hants scented their fifth victory of the season.

Their one stumbling block was Moeen Ali, who hit 12 fours in his unbeaten 73 on his championship debut for Worcestershire.