Pears overtaken at the top
Worcestershire lost their place at the top of the County Championship Division Two table as Lancashire moved past them with a six-wicket win over the Pears at Old Trafford.
Chasing 126 on a challenging surface, Lancashire slipped to 32-4 before lunch, only to recover through their South African captain Dane Vilas and fifth-wicket partner Rob Jones, who shared an unbroken 95 inside 30 overs.
Vilas led the way with 60no off 89 balls, while Jones finished unbeaten on 31.
It means their 20-point win is their third on the spin to start 2019. It is the first time they have won their first three Championship matches in a campaign since 1995 and the days of Mike Atherton and Wasim Akram when they beat Durham and Warwickshire here and Middlesex at Lord’s.
For Worcester, who had to do without injured Wayne Parnell (hamstring) in Lancashire’s chase, this was a first defeat after two victories. But they certainly did not make it easy for their hosts.
