WORCESTERSHIRE are facing a daunting task to salvage anything from their LV County Championship Divi-sion One meeting with local rivals Warwickshire.

Starting the second day on 385-5 thanks to Jim Troughton's excellent 162, the travelling fans were treated to more of the same as Bears wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose led his side to a first innings declaration total of 610-6 with a masterful unbeaten 251.

The in-form batsman set a new Warwickshire record for the highest sixth wicket stand against Worcestershire as he and Heath Streak (66) put on 226 in 60 overs.

Ambrose was in devastating form, hitting 29 fours in his 259-ball innings and adding a further 141 runs to his overnight score. The home team's bowlers had no answer to the onslaught, with Vikram Solanki picking up the only wicket to fall when his part-time off-spin had Streak cau-ght off the inside edge by Graeme Hick at mid-wicket.

The County openers strode to the middle in the knowledge that Worcestershire needed to score 461 just to avoid the follow-on.

In such a situation, there was a huge weight of expectation on Phil Jaques' shoulders. But the prolific Australian was unable to deliver as he was dismissed in the third over of his side's reply.

South African paceman Dale Steyn got the ball to move away from the left-hander and found the outside edge and Darren Maddy did the rest, pouching a sharp chance at second slip.

Solanki, the Worcestershire captain looked to bat positively and take the game to Warwickshire, but he was undone by a Streak away-swinger after he had made an aggressive 35.

With the score on 68-2, Worcestershire were facing a tricky end to the day but opening batsman Stephen Moore and the experienced Ben Smith batted sensibly to see their side to 116-2 at the close.

Moore batted stoically, taking 128 balls to reach his unbeaten 46, while Smith offered good support with his innings of 21 off 77 deliveries, but the New Road side are still 345 runs shy of their follow-on target.

Steve Rhodes' Worcestershire team will need to have a very good day with the bat today if they are to maintain a hope of taking anything from this game.