WORCESTERSHIRE go into the second day of their Frizzell County Championship Division One clash at Lord's knowing an early breakthrough is vital.

Tom Moody's men are facing an uphill struggle against Middlesex after the hosts were 299-2 at stumps.

Sven Koenig's hundred against Worcestershire illustrated perfectly that the bat was always going to dominate on day one as the County toiled at England's HQ.

Koenig made a gritty 104, as Middlesex finished on 299-2, before retiring hurt with a thigh injury but it was events off the field that took most of the attention as Ed Joyce was made skipper, taking over from Owais Shah.

Koenig passed three figures from 251 balls with nine fours and shared an opening partnership of 167 with Ben Hutton.

He had one life, when he was dropped at slip by Vikram Solanki off the bowling of Kabir Ali, when he had 62 but otherwise his innings was one of relentless run-gathering as the County attack was dispatched to all parts.

Hutton was out for 90 when he was caught behind off of spinner Gareth Batty having faced 177 balls as Middlesex strived to put their recent poor form behind them.

Shah came in at the fall of the first wicket and was immediately down the track to Batty lofting his first ball for four but his show of defiance following his return to the ranks did not last long and he was leg before to Matthew Mason for just 12.

Joyce, who was joined by Paul Weekes when Koenig succumbed, was clearly not affected by his new burden as skipper and he made a polished half-century as the hosts pushed on.

The England and Wales Cricket Board hope the rise to prominence of Twenty20 cricket onto the international stage could result in it appearing in future Olympic Games.

Even though the format has yet to register itself on the world calendar, England will face Australia during the 2005 Ashes summer, at the Rose Bowl, Southampton, in their inaugural international contest and South Africa introduced the shortened form of the game this winter.

Such was the success of last summer's competition here, however, that the ECB made a representation to the International Cricket Council to employ Twenty20 as its vehicle for an Olympic bid.