Round-up: Lancashire's collapse allows Solanki to set up tight finish

Lancashire's plan to pile on enough runs to put Worcestershire out of contention in search of the win that will give them the lead in the Championship was undermined by a batting collapse at Blackpool, where a century from Vikram Solanki gave the visitors a faint chance of pulling off an unlikely victory.

Solanki's 107 made significant inroads into a target of 329 but when the former England one-day batsman became a third victim for veteran spinner Gary Keedy, the balance began to swing back towards Lancashire, who need five more wickets against 126 runs required by Worcestershire.

A 107-run stand between Karl Brown and Steven Croft put Lancashire on course to set the visitors a near-impossible target, but the last seven Lancashire wickets fell for 64. Gareth Andrew finished with five for 59.

After two days in which only eight overs were bowled, fellow contenders Somerset were made to suffer more as an inspired display of swing bowling from Andre Adams (six for 33) helped bowl them out for 177.