WORCESTERSHIRE lost three crucial wickets today in the opening session of their Frizzell County Championship promotion clash against Yorkshire.

Openers Stephen Moore and Chris Gayle perished in their twenties at Headingley, while Graeme Hick continued his poor run of form with 19 as the County reached 120-3 after 28 overs.

The onus was on unbeaten pair Ben Smith (21no) and captain Vikram Solanki (7no) to steer Worcestershire to a commanding first innings total.

Hick's low score was the latest failure in a below-par season for the veteran big-hitting batsman.

Entering the Division Two clash, he averaged 33.68 in 24 Championship innings and recently picked up four successive ducks in the four-day game.

The 39-year-old big-hitter needs three more centuries to reach 100 first-class tons in Worcestershire colours.

He started 2005 in good touch, cracking 176 against Lancashire back in April, but that proved to be his sole century of the season.

Hick has another chance to deliver in the second innings of the must-win game and County head coach Steve Rhodes is keeping faith with the former England Test star.

"There are a couple of guys coming into some form for us," said Rhodes. "But Hicky is due some big runs.

"He doesn't go through seasons like this without getting another ton or two. He's only had one to this stage of the season and that's so rare for him."

West Indian Gayle was first to fall this morning. He bludgeoned 29 off 17 balls, including seven boundaries, before Joe Sayers caught him off the bowling of South African seamer Deon Kruis.

Hick was next, caught by Craig White off Tim Bresnan, and opener Moore (27) was dismissed by the same combination.

Worcestershire were given a boost when premier spinner Gareth Batty was declared fit to play.

The 27-year-old overcame a cut finger and seamer Nadeem Malik's inclusion ousted Ray Price from the squad.

Meanwhile, South Australian fast bowler Mark Cleary made his debut for the Tykes.

Third-placed Yorkshire hold a 15.5 point advantage over Worcestershire in fifth position and are strong favourites to gain promotion with a game in hand.

Worcestershire need to beat the white rose county and Essex at New Road in two weeks time to realistically uphold their chances of bouncing back to Division One at the first attempt.

With the Leeds pitch expected to produce a result, Yorkshireman Rhodes was confident of achieving success over his native county.

Rhodes added: "We've got to win there and against Essex. We've got to win both and it's not beyond the realms of possibility. We've put ourselves in this position, so it is backs to the wall."