FIVE wickets from England spinner Moeen Ali could not prevent Worcestershire being set a daunting 443 target by Somerset in Specsavers County Championship Division One.

The bottom-placed County needed to survive 15 overs at the end of the third day but lost Daryl Mitchell (6) and Moeen (7) in reaching 50-2 by the close at Blackfinch New Road.

Pakistan ace Azhar Ali struck two sixes and 13 fours in 125 from 188 balls on his Somerset debut before he was last out at 362-9 as Moeen completed his five-for.

Worcestershire now need a repeat of the rearguard action evident in batting through nearly four sessions in the previous Championship match at Nottinghamshire when they survived nearly 115 overs to earn a draw.

Moeen did his chances of an England Test recall no harm in front of selector James Taylor with his first five-wicket haul in the Championship for five years.

He finished with 5-107 from 33.5 overs and match figures of 55.5-9-172-8 ahead of the England selectors choosing the squad for the first Test with India on Thursday.

Moeen extracted turn and bounce bowling from the Diglis End and another England spinner in Jack Leach could have a key role to play on the final day.

Somerset resumed on 47-0 and openers Marcus Trescothick and Ed Byrom extended their partnership to 97 before Moeen struck three times in four overs.

Bryrom (28) played back to the 31-year-old and was lbw.

In his next over Moeen claimed his 300th first-class wicket as Trescothick (71) took a pace down the wicket and was stumped by debutant Alex Milton.

Trescothick struck 13 fours in a knock spanning 106 balls.

James Hildreth survived a dropped chance to short leg on five off Moeen but failed to add to his total before being lbw to Moeen when caught on the crease.

Azhar and Tom Abell put on 73 for the fourth wicket before the latter was bowled by Steve Magoffin for 31.

Moeen returned to account for former Worcestershire team-mate Steven Davies (18) who went back to cut and was lbw.

It became 239-6 when Peter Trego (4) went for a ugly heave across the line and was bowled by Ed Barnard.

In the penultimate over before tea, Craig Overton (29) was run out by Brett D’Oliveira’s direct hit from mid-on after attempting a risky-looking single off Moeen.

Azhar was unbeaten on 97 and quickly moved to three figures on the resumption.

Jamie Overton (14) holed out to cover off Dillon Pennington and Azhar finally perished attempting a reverse sweep against Moeen with Milton completing the catch.

Moeen’s previous five-for in the Championship was his 6-77 against Northamptonshire at New Road in the final game of the 2013 season.