PAUL Pollard came to Worcestershire's rescue with an unbeaten century in the County Championship Division Two game with Essex at Kidderminster's Chester Road Ground.

He hit 123 not out to help lift the County to 302 all out off 90 overs after they had slid alarmingly to 17-3.

Although it was Pollard's 14th first-class ton, it was his first for grateful Worcestershire.

By the close last night Essex were 35-1 after ten overs, Paul Prichard and Paul Grayson the men out.

England captain Nasser Hussain was unbeaten on nine overnight and added only a single today before he was caught behind by Steve Rhodes off Kabir Ali.

Yesterday, however, began badly for Worcestershire after they had been put into bat under grey skies and in a blustery wind.

Pollard, though, proved a saviour along with Vikram Solanki and David Leatherdale, who both scored crucial half centuries.

The determined trio set to work on the Essex attack after Elliott Wilson, Graeme Hick and Philip Weston had been dismissed inside the first 18 overs.

Wilson was first to fall when he played defensively to paceman Ashley Cowan and was caught behind by Barry Hyam for five.

In the following over Hick played no shot and was bowled off stump by Ronnie Irani who then had Weston, pushing forward, trapped lbw.

Worcestershire's decline, however, was halted by Pollard and Solanki who put on 92 in 21 overs. Their partnership finally ended on the last ball before lunch when Solanki was caught by Hyam off Cowan for 55 -- an innings that contained 11 fours off 79 balls.

It was a hard-earned breakthrough for Essex who then had another lengthy wait before they made further headway.

This time it was the in-form Leatherdale who, after sharing a stand of 124 with Pollard, was eventually out for 52 when he pushed forward to Cowan and was trapped lbw after stroking nine fours off 92 balls.

Pollard soon lost the companionship of Rhodes before he finally reached the magical three-figure mark with a sweetly struck drive through extra cover to the ropes off Grayson.

After Stuart Lampitt, Kabir, Matthew Rawnsley and Alamgir Sheriyar had all been removed cheaply, Pollard was left unbeaten with one six and 18 fours under his belt -- his first Championship ton since 1995.