WORCESTERSHIRE sit in a commanding position after a dominant second day in today's County Championship clash at Lancashire.

Totals of 222 and 252 left the bottom-of-the-table hosts requiring 314 going into day three. They will resume the chase on eight without loss.

Earlier, Worcestershire had taken less than 15 overs to collect the remaining five wickets of Lancashire’s first innings to claim a lead of 61 at Southport.

Kevin Sharp's men then recovered from an early wobble to put themselves firmly in the driving seat as Wayne Parnell bagged a nifty 50 with Ben Cox contributing 40, an improved showing that he hopes will prove decisive in this crunch Division One battle.

"Every innings has been hard work for batters," said Cox.

"It was a case of having to do it a little bit rough really, grinding them out which isn’t really my game but I had to try to play the situation.

"I think our lads did it perfectly, we played the situations well, got through tough scenarios and were then able to cash in on loose balls.

"I haven’t contributed in the way I would have liked to this season with the red ball. I know it was only 40 but hopefully it’s put us out of reach of Lancashire.

"It’s still a seamer-friendly pitch. It’s a typical club wicket, in the first innings it nipped slowly and it’s dried out.

"We felt that it was nipping quicker today which made it harder for the batters. That happens with the new ball.

"We had to work hard to get that score. Hopefully we can get the result."

Josh Tongue had starred with the ball at the end of the opening day and picked up a five-wicket haul by claiming his first scalp of the morning, that of Toby Lester before rounding off the Lancashire innings by dismissing Jordan Clark.

A total of 161 meant the home side had to call upon Division One’s leading wicket-taker Tom Bailey to offer hope.

Following on from his four wickets in the first innings, Bailey picked up another three before lunch.

At 44 for three, Worcestershire were in need of the stability offered through a gritty half-century partnership between Alex Milton (37) and Cox.

The pair put on 61 for the fifth wicket to hand control back to the Pears in a low-scoring encounter.