SIXTEEN wickets tumbled on the second day as Worcestershire battled for control at Nottinghamshire in the clash of the County Championship Division Two top two.

A half-century from Notts' Riki Wessels left the Trent Bridge encounter firmly in the balance.

Wessels scored 60 from 79 balls with nine fours as the hosts closed on 138-5 in their second innings for a lead of 88 with five wickets remaining.

Momentum swung between the top two sides with 388 runs being scored during the day.

Notts were still batting in their first innings at the start of play but soon got dismissed for 193 with Joe Leach taking the final wicket to fall to finish with 3-47.

Worcestershire responded by making 243 in their first innings for a lead of 50.

Ed Barnard, who took four wickets on the first day, scored 55 from 72 balls with eight fours.

Ben Cox was also among the runs, making 47 and sharing in a stand of 75 with Barnard as the visitors seized a modest lead, having been reduced to 89-6 at one stage.

Steven Mullaney took 4-31 with Brett Hutton and Jake Ball sharing the other six.

When play began Ball was dismissed for just five to the ninth ball of the day, edging Leach to first slip.

In Worcestershire’s reply George Rhodes and Daryl Mitchell added 38 for the first wicket in a partnership that was broken by Hutton.

Mitchell (23) pushed at the all-rounder and nicked behind to Chris Read.

From a position of promise Worcestershire slid to 56-4 with Mullaney removing Tom Fell (5) and Joe Clarke (0) with successive deliveries before Hutton had Brett D’Oliveira (1) caught at third slip.

Ravi Ashwin signalled his intentions by hitting his second scoring shot over the extra cover ropes for six just before lunch.

Ball picked up two further wickets in the early stages of the middle session by having Rhodes caught behind for 32 and Ashwin taken at slip for 19.

Cox and Barnard’s stand spanned 12 overs and was ended when Wessels took a sharp catch at first slip to send back the County wicketkeeper.

At the other end Barnard’s 50 came from 58 balls and he appeared untroubled until being pinned lbw on the back leg.

Leach swung the bat to good effect in making 28 as did Jack Shantry who was last out for an entertaining 20.

Notts’ second innings was soon in disarray as Leach nipped out both Mullaney and Cheteshwar Pujara.

The deficit was still 25 when Samit Patel clipped Josh Tongue to Ashwin at mid-wicket.

Alex Hales could only make 12 before being taken by a sharp, low catch at third slip by Clarke.

Wessels played positively, reaching his 50 from 65 balls in just one hour of batting.

He received solid support in a partnership of 85 with opener Jake Libby who remains undefeated on 42.