Club captain Joe Leach, Brett D ‘Oliveira and Ed Barnard all took two wickets each as Worcestershire fought back with the ball on day 1 of their LV=Insurance County Championship derby with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Leach, who returned to the side after being rested for the home match against Essex, bowled a series of testing spells and deserved a greater tangible reward whilst D’Oliveira again showed what an integral part of the attack he has become as the leg spinner supporting the four seamers this summer.

He gave little away and also enjoyed a double breakthrough including Warwickshire century-maker Rob Yates.

Barnard’s ability to make an impact with either bat or ball again surfaced with two scalps in addition to a chance not accepted off his bowling.

Josh Tongue collected a late wicket on his first appearance of the campaign and, although the County attack did not at times completely fire on all cylinders, they kept battling away and collected a second bonus point as Warwickshire closed on 271-7 from 96 overs.

Leach finished with 2-51 from 19 overs, D’Oliveira 2-31 from 22 overs, Barnard 18-5-65-2 and Tongue 19-2-68-1.

Leach won the toss and put the Bears into bat and he made the initial breakthrough in the seventh over as Warwickshire captain Will Rhodes edged a delivery through to keeper Ben Cox.

Fellow opener Yates looked in good touch for the home side and collected a series of boundaries in the ‘V’ between mid-on and mid-off.

New batsman, Pieter Malan, had a let off on 10 when he survived a low chance to second slip off Ed Barnard but the visitors had to contend with just the one wicket in the morning session as the hosts reached lunch on 95-1 from 29 overs.

Worcestershire asked more questions with the ball when play resumed and Barnard struck with the fifth ball of the session, bowling Malan (32) to end a partnership of 77 in 23 overs with Yates.

D’Oliveira quickly settled into a good line and length and was rewarded when Sam Hain (8) attempted to sweep him and was bowled behind his legs at 133-3.

Leach continued to ask questions and picked up a deserved second wicket when Matt Lamb (11) was undone by delivery of slightly extra bounce and Cox held onto a smart chance away to his right.

Warwickshire went to tea at 198-4 from 64 overs and shortly afterwards Yates completed an excellent century with a single off D’Oliveira.

But the leg-spinner persevered and removed Yates on 104 as he tried to run the ball down to third man and nicked through to Cox.

Worcestershire immediately claimed the second new ball at 227-5 after three balls of the 81st over with Alzarri Joseph and Leach sharing the attack.

Barnard enjoyed a late success with just over four overs remaining as Tim Bresnan (20) nibbled at a delivery and Cox did the rest with his fourth catch of the day.

Tongue returned for a final burst and knocked out Olly Stone’s off stump after he failed to trouble the scorers.