A CENTURY stand between Ross Whiteley and Brett D’Oliveira helped Worcestershire extend their LV= County Championship Division One clash with leaders Yorkshire into the final day after they were forced to follow on at Scarborough.

The County face an uphill battle to avoid defeat but the fifth-wicket partnership between Whiteley and D’Oliveira lifted the visitors’ spirits.

They came together in Worcestershire’s second innings before tea at 95-4 — still 55 runs short of making the home side bat again. They added 100 in 27 overs before D’Oliveira departed for 37.

By the close, Whiteley had moved on to 65 not out, with one six and eight fours, out of 221-6 for a lead of 71.

Earlier, Worcestershire resumed on 195-6 in their first innings with Joe Clarke on 76 and Joe Leach 13 — and the visitors failed by one run to avoid the follow on.

Ryan Sidebottom removed Clarke for a career-best 88 from 125 deliveries.

Leach (27) was lbw to spinner Adil Rashid who was driven for six into the pavilion enclosure by Jack Shantry. Three balls later, however, the left-hander was caught for 17.

Worcestershire were on 242-9 but Saeed Ajmal gave them hope of making Yorkshire bat again as he picked up five fours in the space of two overs.

Ajmal scored 34 of 38 added for the 10th wicket with Charlie Morris. But the return of Tim Bresnan accounted for Ajmal (37) as Worcestershire were dismissed for 280.

Tykes skipper Andrew Gale asked Worcestershire to bat again and they suffered a blow when Richard Oliver (14) was lbw to Bresnan in the final over before lunch.

Worcestershire skipper Daryl Mitchell and Tom Fell (23) added 47 runs before the latter’s top-edge was held by Jonny Bairstow.

Opener Mitchell (25 off 102 balls) continued his disciplined innings until he edged Jack Brooks to Alex Lees at first slip with Worcestershire 93-3.

Rashid bowled Clarke (21), while D’Oliveira and Whiteley provided stiff resistance and brought up their 50 stand in only 14 overs.

Whiteley, on 26, had a let-off when Sidebottom spilled a chance and the left-hander took advantage by hitting Rashid for three boundaries in an over.

The 100 stand between Whiteley and D’Oliveira came up in 27 overs. But in the same over D’Oliveira (37) clipped Liam Plunkett into the hands of Brooks.

Plunkett removed Ben Cox (4), with Whiteley and Leach seeing Worcestershire through to the close.