A FINE century from Middlesex's Andrew Strauss was the highlight of the third day's play as Worcestershire's first game of the season at Lord's headed towards an inevitable draw.

The odds against a positive result were made even longer when rain prevented an play before lunch today.

Despite losing three wickets for just 12 runs in yesterday's final session, the home side closed the day just one run ahead of the County with five first innings wickets still in hand.

Resuming on 62 for no wicket in reply to Worcestershire's first innings total of 301, Mike Roseberry and Strauss continued to push the score along at a steady pace and were caused few problems by the Worcester attack.

Roseberry was first to reach a stylish half-century, which came from 84 balls and included eight fours and a six.

Not long afterwards, in the 30th over of the innings, the pair completed a century stand before Roseberry survived a big appeal for leg before off the bowling of left-arm spinner Matthew Rawnsley.

Strauss then went past 50 himself, reaching it from 104 balls with eight fours, and the openers moved the score along to 129 before the first wicket went down in the 41st over.

The man out was the experienced Roseberry, who mistimed a pull off the bowling of Chris Liptrot and was easily caught by Australian Andrew Bichel at mid-on for 63.

Losing his partner seemed to give Strauss fresh impetus and he pushed along to 88 as the home team reached 166 for one at lunch.

Soon after the resumption, in the 51st over, the 24-year-old Strauss reached only the second first class century of his career, with this one coming off 176 balls and including 17 fours.

With Owais Shah steadily playing himself in at the other end, Strauss tried to step up the pace and offered a sharp chance to Paul Pollard at slip off the bowling of Graeme Hick.

However the left-hander's reprieve was short-lived as in the same bowler's next over, he edged straight into the gloves of Steve Rhodes.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming looked in good touch in his first innings for his new county and put on a stand of 64 with Shah.

The 22-year-old Shah, once tipped as an England star of the future, looked set for a painstaking 50 when he fell victim to Liptrot with the score on 290.

Having made 48 from 178 balls he tickled a ball down leg side and was well caught by wicketkeeper Rhodes, to give Worcester their first bowling point.

Fleming also fell short of a 50 as he was caught behind off Bichel and then Rawnsley claimed the wicket his efforts deserved when he had Ben Hutton caught by Rhodes, who was trying a cut shortly before the close.

Bad light brought an end to play nine overs early and a draw looks the only possible outcome in today's final session.