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

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

By the time Cox was out, Worcestershire had progressed to 279 for seven. They eventually declared 83 behind on 300 for nine, George Rhodes contributing 52 and Kieran Noema-Barnett claiming his best Gloucestershire figures of four for 31 from 16 overs.

Gloucestershire were left with a tricky eight overs to negotiate before the close. But openers Cameron Bancroft and Chris Dent negotiated them without alarm, posting 20 without loss and extending their side's lead to 103.

The day began with the home side adding 40 to their overnight total of 343 for eight, Jack Taylor last man out for 143, made off 170 balls, with twenty 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 were capitalising. Left-armer Payne struck first as Daryl Mitchell fell lbw pushing forward for six in the fifth over.

Norwell produced a fine opening spell and was unlucky to claim only the wicket of Tom Fell, snapped up by Noema-Barnett at fourth slip to make it 25 for two.

Brett D’Oliveira looked in good touch before gifting his wicket, having made 25. He pulled a short ball from Craig Miles straight to Norwell on the deep square-leg boundary.

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

Cox and Rhodes then set about steadying the ship and did so to excellent effect, adding 110 before tea was taken and 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 fifty off 118 deliveries, with 7 fours. A further 31 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 fifty to his third first class hundred, greeted with enthusiastic applause by a large Festival crowd.

Cox then went past his previous best score of 109, made against Somerset at New Road in 2015, before being caught behind, edging an attempted cut off Noema-Barnett. He left the pitch to a warm ovation after a hugely entertaining knock.

Gloucestershire’s Kiwi all-rounder then removed Ed Barnard and John Hastings in the same over to take four wickets in a Championship innings for the first time since joining the county two seasons ago.