Saif Zaib made a superb 110 before a late Harry Conway burst ripped through Worcestershire’s top order to send Northamptonshire into pole position on day two of Rothesay County Championship action at New Road.

A second century of the summer from Zaib, supported by a controlled 52 from James Sales saw the visitors establish an 89-run lead over Worcestershire, whose fightback was led by Matthew Waite’s 3 for 31.

Bowled out for 289, seamer Harry Conway ensured Northants took full control of the contest late in the day in a searing three-wicket burst.

The Pears closed on 55 for 3, trailing by 34 runs in their second innings, as the promotion-chasing visitors tightened their grip heading into day three.

Tom Taylor struck just three balls into the morning when he wrapped Ricardo Vasconcelos on the pad for 13, but skipper Luke Procter and Calvin Harrison pushed on for the visitors.

Harrison played offensively and helped add 50 for the second wicket, but his promising start was curtailed by Adam Finch for 24.

Northants were checked at 68 for 3 when Procter, who had not long been dropped by Adam Hose, edged Matthew Waite to third slip having faced 72 balls for his 21.

Saif Zaib smashed two fours and a six in an over that cost 17 from spinner Usama Mir, but Northants lost a fourth wicket of the morning session when George Bartlett edged behind off Ben Allison cheaply.

Zaib registered a 66-ball half-century 30 minutes into the afternoon session as the visitors took control of the match.

Under clear skies Zaib and partner James Sales made hay, as the middle-order batters scored at a fluent rate on their way to surpassing Worcestershire’s first innings score.

Zaib registered a second County Championship of the summer in fittingly exuberant style as he skipped down the wicket to slam a 14th four of his 137-ball innings.

The fifth-wicket partnership was worth 133 as tea approached and Sales notched a controlled fifty of his own from 81 balls, but his 82nd delivery was his last as he edged Tom Taylor to slip.

Resuming the evening session 233 for 5, Waite proved the catalyst for the hosts, taking two wickets in the space of three balls that ended Zaib’s superb 110 courtesy of a smart Dan Lategan catch in the deep and saw the back of Louis Kimber for a second-ball duck.

Ben Sanderson was bowled by Mir for 7, while Lewis McManus, cleared to bat, made a handy late 30, taking Northants up to 289 before Allison wrapped up proceedings.

With 24 overs remaining in the day, Australian quick Harry Conway produced a searing spell that ripped through Worcestershire’s top-order and leave them 34 for 3.

Claiming the wicket of Lategan early, a superb Zaib catch at midwicket accounted for Edavalath who was soon followed by Libby for 12, as Conway speared his side into the ascendency.

The seamer looked to have secured a fourth, only to be agonisingly denied after hitting the top of Adam Hose’s off-stump but failing to dislodge the bail, before play was suspended due to bad light at 6:50pm.