WORCESTERSHIRE made a steady start after being put into bat by table-topping Gloucestershire in the Frizzell County Championship Division Two match at New Road today.

Stephen Peters and Anurag Singh launched the Counties innings against the pace threat of Jonathan Lewis and Mike Smith.

Lewis, operating from the New Road end, began with a maiden to Peters.

Smith's first delivery was turned over mid wicket to the boundary by Singh, whose first four Championship innings this season have produced just 38 runs. Singh followed up later in the over with a streaky four through the slips.

Peters opened his account with a confidently struck boundary off Lewis.

Worcestershire, second from bottom in the table, were unchanged from the side which drew with Durham at Stockton last week.

WORCS: S Peters, A Singh, G A Hick, B F Smith, V S Solanki, A J Hall, G Batty, S J Rhodes, Kabir Ali, M S Mason, M Hayward.