COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Old Trafford:
Lancashire 145 and 264-3 beat Worcestershire 172 and 236 by seven wickets (Lancs 17pts, Worcs 3pts)

Paul Horton hit his highest knock in the Championship in more than a year

Paul Horton chose the ideal time to record his highest County Championship score in over 13 months as Lancashire got back on the winning trail.

In four Championship games since the win over Worcestershire at New Road in early May, Lancashire had struggled.

But confidence was restored as they made a routine job of chasing down 264 for the loss of just three wickets.

Opener Horton led the way with a patient 170-ball 77, while V V S Laxman saw Lancs home on 64 not out.

The 17-point win keeps fourth-placed Lancashire on the fringe of the Division One title race but bottom club Worcestershire have once again reached the halfway mark of the Championship season without winning a game.

And the way they threw this game away, after looking comfortable at 133-2 midway through day two, suggest that they are in danger of emulating their last season in the top flight when they were relegated after only winning one game.

Horton was helped along by Mark Chilton's equally solid 45 off 142 balls, the pair sharing 109 for the second wicket after the early loss of Mal Loye.

Then Laxman later hit an unbeaten 64 off 93 balls and Steven Croft 40 not out off 81 in an unbroken stand of 91 to guide the hosts home.

After Lancashire had added just two to their overnight score, Loye was trapped lbw by Worcestershire's seven-wicket first innings hero Matt Mason in the day's fourth over.

But Horton and Chilton negated the threat posed by Mason, picking off the runs from his new ball partner Ashley Noffke in particular.

Off-spinner Gareth Batty offered a ray of hope when he had Horton caught at first slip and then Chilton at short leg in successive overs.

But, after rain had forced an early tea, with Lancashire at 184-3 and 80 still needed, Laxman and Croft saw their side home.

They remain fourth in the table ahead of Wednesday's trip to face Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Worcestershire are back in action the same day when they start their Pro40 Division One campaign at home to Yorkshire.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes told BBC Hereford and Worcester:

"It wasn't good enough.

"We've had too many collapses in this competition this year.

"If you have a collapse it does serious damage to where you are, whether you are setting up a win or trying to stave off a defeat.

"There were a couple of crucial pointers yesterday including the run-out with Steve Davies but we have got to stop those collapses."

Lancashire batsman V V S Laxman told BBC Radio Manchester:

"The last three games had not gone according to plan but it's good to get a win under our belt and get into a positive frame of mind.

"It looks good. It was a real team effort and we now need to take the momentum to Birmingham when we play Warwickshire on Wednesday.

"It's been a long time since I saw the ball swing like that on the first day. But a lot of credit has to go to the bowlers, especially Matt Mason."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version